Keita Baldé is perhaps best known for his football heroics on the pitch of Stade Louis II where he scored four goals in the 2019/20 season. However, the Monaco winger has recently made a difference off the football pitch.
The African international was determined to take 200 homeless people off of the streets in Leida, one of the oldest towns in Catalonia. The men had been stranded in Spain, unable to get back to Senegal, Baldé’s home country. His gesture was not well received, however, as 13 different hotels refused to take any persons despite Keita offering to cover all costs for four months. Instead, Keita and his team received an array of excuses while some hotels simply rejected the offer outright.
Keita took to instagram to denounce the response he encountered, saying: “We are in an unfortunate and ugly system where renting a home or anything can give you a problem because of the colour of your skin or being from another country.” He added: “I won’t give up and I will achieve what’s promised however I can!”
The AS Monaco forward has, since then, found a way by renting a three storey building in Leida for 90 individuals who would otherwise be stranded in the streets. They will be housed until September, with food and clothing provided.
