Ibrahim Kanate

Ibrahim Kanate's breakthrough came at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia, where he scored two goals and set up three more as Mali finished third, with Kanate then playing for the Afrique Football Elite academy in his homeland. He also helped the academy reach the final of the Malian Cup before making two senior appearances in the Malian Première Division, enough to persuade RSC Anderlecht to sign him in January 2025 for a reported fee of €1.8 million on a contract until 2028.

Anderlecht initially placed Kanate with the reserve side, RSCA Futures, in the Challenger Pro League, where he scored once in 11 outings. He made his first-team debut on 18 May 2025 and went on to feature in the Belgian Cup and in European competition, building up to nearly twenty appearances for the senior side without finding the net.

In June 2026, Anderlecht sent him out on loan to 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the German second division for the 2026/27 season, with an option to buy attached to the deal. He made his debut for the Bundesliga club in August 2026.

Kanate was born in Sarhala, in Côte d'Ivoire, but holds Malian citizenship and has represented Mali at youth level, earning caps for both the under-17 and under-23 sides. Before his move to Belgium, he had also been linked with interest from Stade de Reims and RB Salzburg, though neither move materialised.