Mali center back Kiki Kouyaté moves to Belgium

Mali international defender Boubacar “Kiki” Kouyaté is off to Belgian football after completing a transfer from French Ligue 2 side Montpellier to Royal Antwerp on Tuesday.

 

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The native of Bamako moves to a new club after enduring a difficult time at Montpellier that has seen the 28-year-old central defender fall out of favor with the Mali national team. Kouyaté made only eleven appearances last season for Montpellier, who finished dead last in Ligue 1 and were relegated to the second tier of French football.

After two-and-a-half seasons with Montpellier following successful spells with fellow French clubs Metz and ESTAC Troyes, Kouyaté will look to light a spark to his club career in Belgium.

Antwerp finished fifth place last season in Belgium’s Jupiler Pro League but failed to secure a place in UEFA club competition after losing a Conference League playoff to Charleroi. The club has two draws and a victory in the early stages of the 2025-26 season, defeating SV Zulte Waregem 3-1 in their most recent game on Sunday.

Kouyaté’s club struggles have also impacted his role with the Malian selection. Coach Tom Saintfiet has not brought Kouyaté into the Eagles setup since coming on as head coach with the last appearance for Kouyaté coming in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying home defeat to Ghana in June 2024 under Saintfiet’s predecessor Eric Chelle. Kouyaté played every minute under Chelle at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations as Mali reached the quarterfinals.

Before his time in France, Kouyaté previously played for the reserve team of Portuguese giants Sporting CP after joining from Moroccan club Kawkab Marrakech, who he helped lead to a third place finish in at the conclusion of the 2014-15 season in the top flight Botola Pro. Kouyaté has 34 appearances for the Mali senior national team since debuting in a March 2019 friendly against Senegal.

Royal Antwerp next face Charleroi away from home on Sunday, August 17.