West Ham midfielder Mohamadou Kanté has been called up by Mali for the first time by head coach Anthony Da Silva, for the matches against Rwanda on 13 and 17 November. Trained at Paris FC, he could also have opted for France or Senegal.
Head coach Anthony Da Silva has called up Mohamadou Kanté (formerly Abou Kanté), a 21-year-old midfielder playing at West Ham, for his first Mali call-up. According to Dailysports and SeneNews, he has been called up for the two matches against Rwanda, on 13 November in Bamako and on 17 November in Kigali, for matchdays 3 and 4 of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The player has made his choice: he will wear the colours of Mali even though he could also have been eligible for France or Senegal, SeneNews reports.
From Paris FC to the Hammers
Born in the Paris region to a Senegalese family, Mohamadou Kanté was trained at Paris FC before joining West Ham, Green Street Hammers recalls. He made only 11 Premier League appearances last season, and a return to France with OM was reported to be close, according to Green Street Hammers alone.
This season, West Ham are playing in the Championship. The midfielder has scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists in 12 appearances, according to Dailysports and Green Street Hammers.
Hammers fans also appreciate him for his performance in the derby against Millwall, according to Green Street Hammers: brought on at half-time, he scored before being sent off.
An already well-stocked Malian midfield
Kanté’s arrival adds to an already well-stocked department. Green Street Hammers highlights the depth of the Malian midfield, with in particular Mamadou Sangaré (Brentford) and Ousmane Diakité (West Bromwich Albion). The newcomer is therefore not stepping into empty ground.
This gathering is no mere formality. According to APA News, Mali and Rwanda each have six points after the first two matchdays, with Rwanda top on goal difference.
Two decisive matches against Rwanda
Anthony Da Silva’s 24-man squad includes another new face: Moussa Yéo, a Swansea City forward, according to SeneNews and Maliweb.net.
For Kanté, the call-up says nothing about his playing time. His choice to represent Mali is settled, but the final validation of his change of sporting nationality by FIFA is not confirmed by the sources.