Moriba Kourouma Kourouma (born 19 January 2003), known as Ilaix Moriba (Catalan: [iˈlaʃ muˈɾiβə]), is a Guinean professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club Celta Vigo, on loan from Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, and the Guinea national team.
[17] He scored his first La Liga goal in a 2–0 away win against Osasuna on 6 March 2021,[18] to become the fifth youngest scorer in club's history, topped only by Ansu Fati, Bojan Krkić, Lionel Messi and Pedri.
[19] On 10 March 2021, Moriba made his UEFA Champions League debut in a 1–1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16, coming on as a substitute for Sergio Busquets in the 79th minute.
[21][22] On 28 January 2022, La Liga club Valencia announced the signing of Moriba, on a loan until the end of the season.
[26] On 7 August 2024, Moriba returned to La Liga once again, joining RC Celta de Vigo on loan with an option to buy.
[4] He eventually chose to play for the Guinea national team, being set to make his debut on the international stage in June 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic froze the 2020 football season.
[37][38] Observers often draw parallels between Moriba's style of play and that of Yaya Touré, a former footballer for Blaugrana known for his midfield dominance.
[39][40] Moriba himself has acknowledged being inspired by football legends, including Sergio Busquets and Juan Román Riquelme, as well as other prominent figures associated with Barcelona.