Coli Saco

Coli Saco
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-05-15) 15 May 2002 (age 24)
Place of birth Créteil, France
Height 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)
Position Central midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Riga
Number 6
Youth career
2017–2018 Le Havre
2018–2020 Sochaux
2020–2021 AC Milan
2021–2022 Napoli
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2026 Napoli 0 (0)
2022–2023 → Pro Vercelli (loan) 34 (3)
2023–2024 → Ancona (loan) 32 (7)
2024–2025 → Bari (loan) 11 (0)
2025–2026 → Yverdon-Sport (loan) 8 (0)
2026 → Casertana (loan) 11 (1)
2026– Riga 3 (0)
International career‡
2023–2024 Mali U23 8 (0)
Medal record
Representing  Mali
U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
Bronze medal – third placeMorocco 2023U-23 Team
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 August 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 30 July 2024

Coli Saco (born 15 May 2002) is a professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Latvian Higher League club Riga. Born in France, Saco has represented Mali at under-23 level.

Club career

Early years

Born in Créteil, Saco joined Le Havre's youth sector in 2017, aged 15, before moving to Sochaux one year later. He then came through the youth ranks of the Lionceaux, taking part in the 2019–20 Coupe Gambardella, where Sochaux reached the round of 16 before the competition was cancelled, due to the emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In October 2020, Saco entered AC Milan's academy; however, he was released after just one season, having not managed to break into the under-19 team consistently.

Napoli

In September 2021, he officially joined fellow Italian club Napoli after a successful trial.

Having impressed with his performances for Napoli's under-19 squad, during the 2021–22 season Saco started training with the first team, under manager Luciano Spalletti. The midfielder originally received his first official call-up to the senior team for a Serie A match against Juventus on 6 January 2022: however, having tested positive for COVID-19, he eventually had to withdraw from the match-day squad.

Loan to Pro Vercelli

On 15 July 2022, Saco joined Serie C side Pro Vercelli on a season-long loan. He then made his professional debut for the club on 3 September, starting and playing 90 minutes in a 1–0 league win against Padova. On 5 November, he scored his first professional goal in a 3–1 league loss against AlbinoLeffe.

Loan to Ancona

On 1 September 2023, Saco joined fellow Serie C club Ancona on loan for the remainder of the season.

Loan to Bari

On 30 August 2024, Saco moved on loan to Bari in Serie B.

Loan to Casertana

On 26 January 2026, Saco joined Casertana in Serie C on loan.

International career

In June 2023, Saco was included in the final squad of the Malian under-23 national team for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted in Morocco, where the Eagles finished in third place and qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

In July 2024, he was included by head coach Aliou Badra Diallo in the Malian squad for the men's football tournament at the Summer Olympics in Paris, where The Eagles were eventually eliminated in the group stage.

Style of play

Saco is a left-footed midfielder, who has been mainly regarded for his physical attributes, which allow him to win many headers and keep possession. Despite his slow pace, he has proved to have good abilities in reading the game and finding goal opportunities, thanks to his off-the-ball movement and his heading. He has also been noticed for his vision and his long-range passing prowess.

Although he has been compared to André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, he cited Paul Pogba and Yaya Touré as his main sources of inspiration.

Personal life

Born in France, Saco is of Malian descent.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 4 May 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Napoli 2022–23 Serie A 00000 0—00
Pro Vercelli (loan) 2022–23 Serie C 34300——343
Ancona (loan) 2023–24 Serie C 31700——317
Career total 65100000006510

Honours

Mali U23

References

  1. 1 2 "Le bilan de la saison sochalienne en U17". La Bande à Bonal (in French). 8 May 2019. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Il Napoli di Spalletti, l'amicizia con Malcuit e la Pro Vercelli: la storia di Coli Saco". La Casa di C (in Italian). 1 December 2022. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "Le tenant chute, un Poucet passe". French Football Federation (in French). 2 February 2020. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  4. ↑ "Décision concernant les championnats amateurs et les compétitions". French Football Federation (in French). 16 April 2020. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  5. ↑ Lionetto, Riccardo (5 October 2020). "Milan, doppio colpo: presi Saco e Pobi". MondoPrimavera (in Italian). Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  6. ↑ "Football. Coli Saco, pas conservé au FC Sochaux, signe au Milan AC". L'Est Républicain (in French). 7 October 2020. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  7. ↑ Brianti, Simone (20 June 2021). "Milan, Saco ai saluti: parole d'addio per il centrale rossonero". MondoPrimavera (in Italian). Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Paesano, Luca (14 June 2022). "Largo ai giovani: Coli Saco". Sport del Sud (in Italian). Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 Stesina, Marco (22 July 2022). "Il nuovo Pogba ha 20 anni e sbarca in Piemonte: muscoli e centimetri per impressionare". Sprint e Sport (in Italian). Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Schirru, Francesco (23 July 2024). "Alle Olimpiadi c'è anche un giocatore del Napoli: tra i convocati del Mali anche l'ex Milan Coli Saco, occhio alla chance con Conte". Goal.com (in Italian). Archived from the original on 23 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  11. ↑ Brianti, Simone (6 January 2022). "Napoli, il messaggio social di Saco: "Non era il momento di esordire in Serie A"". MondoPrimavera (in Italian). Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  12. ↑ Regis, Sebastiano (15 July 2022). "BENVENUTO COLI SACO!". F.C. Pro Vercelli 1892 (in Italian). Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  13. ↑ Lanza, Raffaella (17 July 2022). "Corradini, Vergara e Coli Saco: la carica dei nuovi leoni. Awua, Panico e Vitale verso il Crotone". La Stampa (in Italian). Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  14. ↑ "Pro Vercelli vs. Calcio Padova - 3 September 2022". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  15. ↑ "Pro Vercelli vs. AlbinoLeffe - 5 November 2022". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  16. ↑ "SACO COLI E' UN NUOVO GIOCATORE DELL'ANCONA" [SACO COLI IS A NEW PLAYER FOR ANCONA] (in Italian). US Ancona. 1 September 2023. Archived from the original on 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  17. ↑ "Ancona, si alza il sipario sul campionato: Cioffi e Spagnoli per scardinare l'Entella". Il Resto del Carlino (in Italian). 2 September 2023. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  18. ↑ "Benvenuto Coli Saco" [Welcome Coli Saco] (in Italian). Bari. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  19. ↑ "Coli Saco is from Casertana" [Coli Saco è della Casertana] (in Italian). Casertana FC. 26 January 2026. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  20. ↑ Olivier, Anthony (12 June 2023). "CAN U23 : la liste du Mali avec un talent de Premier League et 3 nouveaux !". Afrik Foot (in French). Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  21. ↑ "Mali stages comeback to defeat Gabon in TotalEnergies CAF U-23 AFCON | Total U-23 Africa Cup of Nations 2023". CAFOnline.com. Confederation of African Football. 25 June 2023. Archived from the original on 27 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  22. 1 2 "Mali's U23 team ends 20-year wait, qualifies for Paris Olympics | Total U-23 Africa Cup of Nations 2023". CAFOnline.com. Confederation of African Football. 7 July 2023. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  23. 1 2 "CAN 2023 : le Mali se qualifie aux JO 2024". Sport News Africa (in French). 7 July 2023. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  24. ↑ Olivier, Anthony (8 July 2024). "JO 2024 : la liste du Mali avec 2 internationaux A !". Afrik-foot.com (in French). Archived from the original on 23 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  25. ↑ Lantheaume, Romain (30 July 2024). "JO 2024 : le Mali rate la qualification..." Afrik-foot.com (in French). Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  26. ↑ Coli Saco at WorldFootball.net
  27. ↑ Coli Saco at Soccerway