Amadou Konte

{{short description|Malian-French former footballer (born 1981)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Amadou Konte

| image = Amadou Konte.jpg

| caption = Konte with Maduro jersey in 2015

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1981|1|13}}

| birth_place = Bamako, Mali

| height = {{convert|1.91|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| position = Striker

| currentclub =

| years1 = 2002–2003 | clubs1 = Olympique Noisy-le-Sec | caps1 = 4 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2003 | clubs2 = Paternò | caps2 = 16 | goals2 = 2

| years3 = 2004 | clubs3 = Cambridge United | caps3 = 19 | goals3 = 3

| years4 = 2005–2006 | clubs4 = Hibernian | caps4 = 27 | goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2007 | clubs5 = Kalamata | caps5 = 0 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2007–2008 | clubs6 = Potenza | caps6 = 16 | goals6 = 3

| years7 = 2008 | clubs7 = → Spezia (loan) | caps7 = 6 | goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2008 | clubs8 = Potenza | caps8 = 3 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2008–2009 | clubs9 = Turate | caps9 = 20 | goals9 = 8

| years10 = 2009 | clubs10 = Messina | caps10 = 0 | goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2009–2012 | clubs11 = Bitonto | caps11 = 0 | goals11 = 0

| years12 = 2013 | clubs12 = Minyor Pernik | caps12 = 0 | goals12 = 0

| years13 = 2013 | clubs13 = P. Madura United | caps13 = 2 | goals13 = 0

| clubnumber =

| pcupdate = 20 May 2013

| ntupdate =

}}

Amadou Konte (born 13 January 1981 in Bamako) is a Malian-French former footballer.

Career

Konte started his career in the football academy of French side RC Strasbourg before moving to Portuguese club FC Porto. He did not make a first team breakthrough in FC Porto though, and moved again, firstly to CF Villanovense in Spain,{{Citation needed|date=January 2008}} then Olympique Noisy-le-Sec in CFA and Paternò in Serie C1.

In the summer of 2004 Konte signed for Cambridge United and scored 3 goals in 9 appearances. This was enough to prompt interest from Hibernian, who signed him during the January 2005 transfer window, and he made his debut in a 3–0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox the next month. His first goal was a late equaliser against Motherwell in May,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/4521611.stm|title=Motherwell 2-2 Hibernian |publisher=BBC Sport |date=7 May 2005 |accessdate=27 July 2013}} earning Hibs a crucial point in their successful quest to qualify for European competition.

The 2005–06 season was less rewarding for Konte though, as the striker endured inconsistent form and infrequent appearances. This led to him being ironically dubbed the "Mali Magician" by some Hibs fans.{{cite web |title=Five of the best African players in Scotland |url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/five-best-african-players-scotland-1545694 |website=The Scotsman |accessdate=8 May 2020}} When Konte again struggled to gain first team action in the first part of the 2006–07 season (despite scoring twice against Dinaburg FC in the UEFA Intertoto Cup){{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/5155650.stm|title=Dinaburg 0-3 Hibernian (agg 0-8) |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 July 2006 |accessdate=27 July 2013}} he was released from his contract. He left Hibernian one day before the appointment of new manager John Collins, in November 2006.{{cite web |title=Konte calls time on Hibs career |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/6109236.stm |publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=8 May 2020}} In 2020, Konte reflected on his time at Hibs, stating that he enjoys his status as a cult favourite and felt that the nickname bestowed upon him by fans was an affectionate one.{{cite web |title=Former Hibs striker Amadou Konte: 'I guess when I played, there was a kind of magic' |url=https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/sport/football/former-hibs-striker-amadou-konte-18541600 |website=edinburghlive.co.uk}}

In January 2007, he joined Messiniakos of Greek 2nd division. In summer 2007, he signed for Potenza S.C. of Serie C1, and in January 2008, he was loaned to Spezia.

In September 2009, after a nine-month stint with Turate,{{cite news |url=http://www.messinasportiva.it/news.php?id=10056&dove=a |publisher=Messina Sportiva |language=Italian |accessdate=2009-09-07 |date=5 September 2009 |title=Amadou Konte, con il Paterno' il suo esordio in Italia |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090909054057/http://www.messinasportiva.it/news.php?id=10056&dove=a |archivedate=9 September 2009 }} he was signed by Sicilian club Messina on a free transfer.{{cite news|url=http://www.messinasportiva.it/news.php?id=10054&dove=a |publisher=Messina Sportiva |language=Italian |accessdate=2009-09-07 |date=5 September 2009 |title=L'ACR annuncia gli acquisti degli attaccanti Di Napoli e Konte |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090908003845/http://www.messinasportiva.it/news.php?id=10054&dove=a |archivedate=8 September 2009 }}