In the latest edition of its weekly feature entitled ‘Life after Career’, Afrique Sports looks at the retraining of Khalilou Fadiga. Now 48, the ‘magic left-hander’ retired on 1 July 2012.
Khalilou Fadiga, the former attacking midfielder of the golden generation of AJ Auxerre and the Lions of Teranga at the start of the 21st century, had enormous potential for an outstanding career. However, when he joined Inter Milan in 2003, a prestigious club, he never had the opportunity to play in official competition due to a heart arrhythmia. Many would have given up in the face of such adversity, but not him, as his brilliant post-career career testifies.
Khalilou Fadiga’s debut
Originally from Dakar, this young man from a modest family moved to the Goutte-d’Or district of Barbès at the age of 7. His career has become a model of social success in its own way. After spending time in PSG’s youth teams and two seasons at Red Star, he failed to land a professional contract. That all changed, however, when Eric Gerets spotted him and offered him a professional contract at RFC Liège at the age of 18. His career really took off from there. He then spent six successful seasons in Belgium before AJA’s iconic coach Guy Roux brought him back to Burgundy, impressed by his performances at FC Brugge.
In that legendary Auxerre side, Fadiga established himself alongside Philippe Mexès, Olivier Kapo and above all Djibril Cissé, to whom he provided numerous assists between 2000 and 2003. Blessed with fantastic technique, his famous left foot impressed many opponents, including Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira’s Arsenal Gunners, whom he beat in a Champions League match at Highbury on 22 October 2002, demonstrating the Senegalese midfielder’s courage and fearlessness. This dazzling team in the tight ‘Playstation’ jersey won a magnificent French Cup after beating PSG in the final, and finished a creditable sixth in 2003, which opened the door to Serie A and led him to join Inter Milan.
Heartbreak at Inter
Just as everything seemed to be going well, with a deal signed for €3 million, everything fell apart during the medical. Inter Milan’s doctors discovered a heart arrhythmia in the AJA gem, making him unfit to play at a high level. Despite the unfavourable advice, Khalilou Fadiga did not give up his passion and continued his career at the highest level. Like Nwankwo Kanu before him, who also suffered the same heart defect while playing for the Nerazzurri, Khalilou bounced back to the Premier League, playing for Bolton.
Unfortunately, he underwent another heart operation after collapsing in the warm-up before a League Cup match between Wanderers and Tottenham. Despite these obstacles, he continued to play with a defibrillator implanted behind his ribs. His career continued with a loan move to Derby County in October 2005, a spell at Coventry City, and a final return to Belgium to complete the circle in 2009, despite the numerous health problems he overcame, including ruptured knee ligaments and an Achilles tendon that kept him off the pitch for some time.
Khalilou Fadiga was a 30-time international between 2000 and 2005, and played a key role in Senegal’s run to the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. He was one of the key figures in the Lions’ golden generation, who knocked out 98 world champions France in their opener in Seoul. His crucial goal against Uruguay (3-3) in the final group match propelled the Lions into the last 16. This followed historic victories over Zidane’s men (1-0) and a 1-1 draw with Denmark. The Senegalese team’s adventure came to an end in the quarter-finals, when they were eliminated by Turkey (1-0).
A new career in football
After his retirement from sport, Khalilou Fadiga turned to a variety of activities. As a consultant for beIN Sports, Proximus TV and RTBF, he shared his expertise. The 2022 World Cup quarter-finalist has also become an adviser to the President of the Senegalese Football Federation. He is also a goodwill ambassador for the President of the Republic. He is also a member of the development committee of the Confederation of African Football and the owner of two commodities trading companies.
The unsuccessful CAN 2000 finalist also passed on his passion for football to his son Noah Fadiga. The latter became a professional footballer and made his Ligue 1 debut for Stade Brestois, proudly wearing the number 99 in tribute to his father Khalilou Fadiga, who wore the number 9 for Bruges and the 99 for La Gantoise. The 48-year-old is still regarded as an idol in his native Senegal. And to think that there was a time when people thought he was lost to football…
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