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What religion is Ibrahima Konaté?
Ibrahima Konaté is a French professional footballer who is a practicing Muslim who frequently uses his platform to share his faith, which includes publicly wishing Liverpool’s Muslim supporters a blessed Ramadan. During the international breaks, he has consistently maintained his religious observances while on duty with the France national team.
In January 2026, following the passing of his father, Konaté shared a personal message on Instagram utilizing traditional Islamic phrases and references to funeral prayers.
Ibrahima Konaté plays as a central defender for La Liga club Real Madrid and the France national team. During his five-year career with Liverpool, his honors included the FA Cup, the EFL Cup, and the 2025 Premier League title. Following the expiration of his contract at Anfield, he departed English football to sign a four-year contract with Real Madrid as a free agent in June 2026.
Internationally, Konaté has represented France at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2024, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Salary
Ibrahima Konaté signed a four-year contract with Real Madrid in June 2026, which is set to expire in June 2030. The deal is reportedly worth around £83 million ($107 million) in total wages, making him one of the club’s highest-paid players, ranking just below Vinícius Júnior, while placing him on par with Jude Bellingham. His base salary is estimated at approximately £400,000 per week ($520,000) gross, or just over £20.8 million per year ($27 million).
Prior to this deal, Konaté earned significantly less during his time at his former club Liverpool, where his base salary was estimated at approximately £80,000 per week. His total career earnings from club salaries are estimated to have taken a massive leap, with Real Madrid additionally paying him a £17 million (€20 million) signing-on fee to secure his signature as a free agent. Reports from outlets like El Desmarque indicated that his camp successfully locked in this substantial increase after contract extension negotiations with Liverpool collapsed over wage demands.
Early life
Ibrahima Konaté was born on May 25, 1999, in Paris, France, to parents who had emigrated from Mali. He grew up as the second youngest of eight children on a public housing estate in Paris’s 11th arrondissement. He began his football career joining the Paris FC’s youth setup at the age of ten before making a move to Sochaux’s boarding academy when he was 15.
Initially in his youth, Konaté played as a striker before moving into the defensive position.
Club career
Konaté made his professional debut for Sochaux in a 1–0 Ligue 2 loss to Auxerre on 7 February 2017, at the age of 17. He went on to make 13 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 2 side, scoring one goal in the process before moving abroad.
In June 2017, Konate joined Leipzig from Sochaux on a five-year contract, which in 2019 was extended by a further 12 months. Four months later, he made his club debut against FC Köln. During his four seasons at RB Leipzig from 2017 to 2021, Konaté made 95 total appearances across all competitions and helped the team to consistently secure top-three finishes in the Bundesliga and was part of the squad that reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. Subsequently, his final two seasons with the club were disrupted by recurring muscle and ankle injuries.
Liverpool
In July 2021, Liverpool signed Konaté from RB Leipzig after triggering his £36 million release clause. He made a strong impact during his debut season, converting a penalty in the dramatic Carabao Cup shootout victory over Chelsea and starting in the 2022 UEFA Champions League final. He became a vital partner for Virgil van Dijk, helping Liverpool win the 2024 EFL Cup and the 2025 Premier League title under Arne Slot.
Across his five-year tenure at Anfield, Konaté accumulated 183 appearances for the club in all competitions. Contract renewal discussions between his representatives and the club concluded without an agreement in May 2026 due to valuation disparities. Liverpool subsequently confirmed his departure upon the expiration of his contract, allowing him to join Real Madrid as a free agent on July 1, 2026.
Real Madrid
In June 2026, Real Madrid confirmed the signing of Konaté on a free transfer for the 2026/27 season. He signed a four-year contract running through June 2030 and became the club’s third major summer reinforcement under returning manager José Mourinho following the arrivals of Marc Cucurella and Bernardo Silva. The move links him with several of his French international teammates at the Santiago Bernabéu, including Kylian Mbappé, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Eduardo Camavinga.
International career
Konaté progressed through France’s youth ranks from the under-16 level to the under-21s and made his senior international debut in June 2022. He made his international debut as a starter in an away UEFA Nations League match against the Austria national football team and was subsequently included in Didier Deschamps’ squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Following the retirement of senior players, Konaté captained the national side during select UEFA Nations League and World Cup qualifying matches in late 2024 and 2025. He traveled to the 2026 FIFA World Cup as part of the squad, where France reached the semifinals before suffering a 2–0 elimination against Spain and finishing fourth after a playoff defeat to England.
Personal life
On 22 January 2026, Konaté announced the death of his father, Hamady Konaté, via social media, which led to him missing Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League match against Marseille to return to France. Following his travel, he rejoined the first-team squad for their subsequent domestic fixtures.
In August 2025, Konaté signed a multi-year endorsement agreement with Under Armour to serve as a brand ambassador for the company’s athletic apparel and footwear lines.