Ismaila Soro, born on 7 May 1998 on the Ivory Coast, stands as a formidable force in the football arena. He's 1.73m (5ft 8in) and weighs 76kg (11st 13lb). The midfielder primarily fills the role of a central defensive midfielder for Beitar Jerusalem.
Soro began his professional career in Moldova with Saxan in the Divizia Naţională in 2016. Striding with confidence, he made 22 first team appearances in league matches during his debut season. However, his journey with Saxan was short-lived, and by July 2017, he transferred to Gomel in the Premier League of Belarus. He managed to carve his niche in Gomel, contributing to the team with 15 first team appearances in league matches during the 2017 season.
Continuing his continental escapades, Soro transferred to Bnei Yehuda in the Liga Leumit in Israel in January 2018. Like a well-versed traveller adapting to new culture, Soro fit in well with Bnei Yehuda over the course of three seasons, making 53 first team appearances in league matches.
It was in January 2020, that Soro decided to embark upon a new chapter in his football career. He transferred from Bnei Yehuda to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership for a fee of around £2m, marking his arrival in Scottish football.
At Celtic, Soro found a new home. He aided the team with his steadfast performance, making 19 first team appearances and scoring one goal in league matches in the 2020 - 2021 season. Building upon his momentum, he made eight more first team appearances in the following 2021 - 2022 season.
In a twist of fate, Soro was loaned to Arouca in the Liga Portugal in Portugal in July 2022. He stayed on the pitch regularly, making 26 first team appearances in league matches during the 2022 - 2023 season.
As the wheel of time turned, so did Soro's fortune. In September 2023, he transferred back from Celtic to Beitar Jerusalem in the Premier League in Israel, marking his return to the club where he currently plays as a central defensive midfielder. In the current 2024 - 2025 season at Beitar Jerusalem, Soro has already made three first team appearances in league matches, indicating a promising season ahead.
In terms of his Celtic career, his performances were adequate, all things considered, though there was perhaps an expectation among the Parkhead faithful that never quite materialised into the anticipated glory.
