KESSIÉ

When Kessié was 11 years old, his father, who used to be a professional footballer in his youth before enlisting in the Ivorian army, died due to an illness. Therefore, one of his goal celebrations is a military salute performed in order to pay tribute to his late father. Growing up, his idol was Yaya Touré. Kessié is a practicing Muslim. He regularly fasts during the Islamic month of Ramadan.

Personal life Family background Kessié hails from Ouragahio , a remote village in southern Ivory Coast with a population of around 36,000 as of 2014, where his parents originated before the family moved to Abidjan . [76] His father, a former professional footballer who transitioned to service in the Ivorian army as a central midfielder , died in 2007 from illness when Kessié was 11 years old, profoundly shaping family dynamics by necessitating greater responsibility among the children. [16] [77] Following his father's death, Kessié's mother, Nathalie Djedje, took on the primary role of raising the family in Abidjan, including Kessié as the youngest of seven siblings—four brothers and three sisters—who offered emotional and practical support during his formative years. His older brothers, t…