Noumory Keita could have been Bulgarian! Bulgarian Volleyball Federation president Lubo Ganev has confirmed that a procedure to grant the Mali-born star Bulgarian citizenship started in 2020, and explained why it collapsed.
“It is true that in 2020 a procedure began to grant Bulgarian citizenship to Noumory Keita. The Mali-born volleyball player wanted to play for the Bulgarian national team, but in practice there was no way that could happen,” Ganev said (translated from Bulgarian). The sticking point: Keita would have had to live and play in Bulgaria for at least three consecutive years. “That could not happen, because he was being offered great money to play for teams in Korea and Italy. No club in Bulgaria could provide Noumory Keita’s huge salary, and so the idea could not be realised.”
Keita, 25, now plays for Rana Verona. Reports in Bulgaria and Italy say he could represent Italy from 2027, provided he obtains Italian citizenship.
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