Salif Keita, a former Malian, Marseille, and Saint-Etienne attacker, has passed away at the age of 76 on Saturday, according to the country’s sports minister Abdoul Kassim Ibrahim Fomba. 

Keita, also known as “Black Panther,” died in Bamako, the capital city where he was born.

He retired from professional football in 1980 after a successful club career in France, where he won the French league title three times with Saint-Etienne and the French Cup twice. 

The Malian football federation joined the world in mourning the late Keita. “The world of sport in Mali and particularly football pass on their condolences to Salif Keita’s family and also the Malian nation,” the federation said on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter)

Keita’s former club, Saint-Etienne, also came forward to express their condolences. “The Black Panther has left us, taking a part of our club with him,” the club said in a statement on social media.

After leaving Saint-Etienne, Keita joined Marseille before moving to Valencia in Spain and Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. He ended his club career in the United States.