Naby Keita, a former star for Liverpool, was chosen by his fellow professionals as the worst player in the Bundesliga.
Keita’s contract with the Liverpool Reds expired last summer, bringing an end to his five-year stay with the team that won both the Champions League and the Premier League under Jurgen Klopp. The Guinea international, who had previously played for RB Leipzig, returned to Germany with Werder Bremen, but it’s safe to say things haven’t gone according to plan.
Due to injuries, Keita had to wait until late September to make his debut. By April, he had only made six appearances for his new club because of additional injuries and his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations. This was the result of his refusal to go with the team for a game against Bayer Leverkusen, for which Werder punished him for the remainder of the season.
Disappointed, Clemens Fritz, the director of football, said, “We won’t put up with Naby’s actions. He failed his team during a trying period due to our recent winning streak, squad availability, and he prioritized his personal interests over the group’s.”
Keita has refuted claims that he declined to participate, although it appears that his actions were observed by other Bundesliga players. German football magazine Kicker polled 227 Bundesliga players at the end of the season about a range of subjects.
With 25.6% of the vote, Keita was voted the worst player in the league. More encouraging news for Xabi Alonso, another former Liverpool midfield player, was found in other sections of the study.
Sixty-four percent of the players chose the former Spain star to be the league’s best manager. Alonso secured the German Cup, advanced to the Europa League final, and guided Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga title win—a feat they accomplished undefeated.
Florian Wirtz of Leverkusen received 51.1% of the voting and was chosen as the best player. When asked who they thought will win the next Euro 2024 in Germany, 39.2% of the players selected the team led by Julian Nagelsmann, with France coming in second with 22% and England in third place with 15.4%.
