When a young footballer opts to embark upon a career in the beautiful game, having the same name as a football legend can be a weighty mantle to bear. And with an entire nation impatiently awaiting a successor to the greatest player in its history, the pressure is increased even further.

Such was the situation facing young Seydou Keita when he enrolled at the Bamako training centre founded by his uncle, the legendary Salif Keita. Now established at the heart of La Liga outfit Sevilla, the Malian defensive midfielder has made light of such difficulties to demonstrate that superior ability really does run in the family.

The nephew of the 1970 African Footballer of the Year recipient first erupted on to the global stage at the FIFA World Youth Championship Nigeria 1999. Inspiring throughout, he carried an otherwise modest Mali side to third place. On route to claiming their bronze medal, LesAiglons swept aside the likes of Portugal, Cameroon, Nigeria and Uruguay.

As chief architect of their success, Keita was named Player of the Tournament ahead of top-drawer performers such as Stephen Appiah, Ashley Cole, Xavi, Iker Casillas, Rafael Marquez, Roque Santa Cruz, Diego Forlan and future two-time FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho.

It was enough to attract the interest of a number of Europe's leading clubs, and the young prodigy finally opted to follow in his uncle's footsteps by joining Marseille. Salif had starred for the French giants 30 years earlier, but young Seydou's OM dream never materialised and he had to content himself with a mere handful of senior appearances.

"I didn't get much of a look-in because the situation at the club at the time meant that they weren't prepared to gamble on young players," rues the Sevilla man. "At Marseille, it was all about getting results there and then, so I was soon loaned out to Lorient."

With the Breton outfit in the second division at the time, Keita may have dropped a level but he proceeded to move up a gear or two in terms of performance. Appearing in every game of the season apart from the first, he toiled tirelessly to haul the Merlus up into the first division.

The following year, Lorient clinched the French Cup but were unable to hang on to their top-flight status. Seydou, however, remained in Ligue 1 after being snapped up by Lens.

Fans' favourite and team captain
Despite the stark contrast between the industrial north of France and his native Mali, the international felt right at home and soon became a firm favourite with the fans. "In Lens, people struggle hard to make a living," says the left-footed 27-year-old. "These days, I'm doing very well out of football, but I'll never forget how much my family and I suffered in the past. That's why I can identify with the fans."

During his time at Lens, he finally made the transition from good player to fans' idol after the departure of Alou Diarra and Jerome Leroy and, during the 2006-2007 season, Keita was made captain of the Sang et Or. Bossing things on the pitch and in the dressing room, he even discovered a new talent for bagging goals from his defensive midfield berth.

Eleven goals and some stunning performances saw him named second best player in France, but the former Lens skipper remains dissatisfied with that outcome: "No offence to Florent Malouda, (player of the season in Ligue 1 in 2006/07), but I feel I deserved to get the player of the season title last year."

Double UEFA Cup winners Sevilla seemed to concur and offered him a four-year contract. Generally expected to be used sparingly due to a squad boasting such reliable midfield performers as Jesus Navas, Renato, Adriano, Christian Poulsen and Enzo Maresca, the Malian became the most regular name on the team-sheets of his successive coaches, Juande Ramos and Manolo Jimenez.

As effective in his ball-winning role as he is confident in his ability, Keita had arrived in Andalusia untroubled by self-doubt. "I knew I was good enough to make the grade. When I met the sporting director, I told him I wasn't coming to warm the subs' bench and that if I didn't get plenty of games, I'd be off. I've got enough self-belief to do that."

But while the midfielder has shone, his team have endured a fairly lacklustre start to their domestic campaign. But Seville's new recruit remains bullish about their prospects: "We've fallen a bit behind Barcelona and Real Madrid, but it's a marathon, not a sprint," says Keita. "But if we're going to compete for the title, we've got to learn to concede fewer goals as we're not consistent at the back at the moment. We're capable of beating our direct rivals but we don't always perform against some of the less illustrious teams."

Ambitious on all fronts
Reigning champions Real Madrid are very much one of these direct rivals and their recent visit to the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on 3 November offered an opportunity for Keita to convert his words into deeds. And he was not found wanting, producing a stunning left-footed half-volley that left goalkeeper Casillas rooted to the spot and put the Rojiblancos on the path to a memorable 2-0 success.

In the UEFA Champions League three weeks later, he served up more of the same, scoring the first of Sevilla's three goals against Arsenal that sent the club through to the knockout stages and condemned the Gunners to their first defeat of the season.

Already up to speed for such top-level encounters, the driving force behind Les Aigles is ambitious on all fronts. Apart from La Liga and the Champions League at club level, Keita is intent on shining with Mali in next January's Africa Cup of Nations. Drawn in the same group as Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire and Benin, Mali know that their task will be a tough one: "It's far from an easy group. African football as a whole has become more competitive due to the growing number of players at clubs in Europe's top leagues."

So, what will be Mali's target for this CAN in Ghana? "To win it, of course!" And if Les Aigles do soar to the top of the tournament rostrum, Seydou's status as a worthy successor to his legendary uncle would also be assured.