Franck Kessie, a midfielder known for his defensive prowess and scoring ability, was born on December 19, 1996, in Ivory Coast. He began his football career at Stella Club d’Adjamé in his home country.

In 2015, Kessie moved from Ivory Coast to Atalanta, an Italian club. He spent his first season in Atalanta’s youth teams before going on loan to Cesena, a Serie B team. Kessie played a vital role in the midfield for Cesena and helped them reach the play-offs for promotion to Serie A, though they ultimately fell short.

Kessie’s impressive season in Serie B earned him a place in Atalanta’s first team the following season under coach Gian Piero Gasperini. After a good season with Atalanta, AC Milan loaned Kessie for two years with an obligation to buy him at the end. Kessie became one of the best midfielders in Italy during his five seasons at AC Milan, playing in 223 games, scoring 37 goals, and providing 17 assists. He also became the regular penalty taker.

In the 2021/22 season, Kessie played a significant role in AC Milan winning their first Serie A title in eleven years.

Kessie made his debut for Ivory Coast in September 2014, aged only 17 years old, in a qualifying match for the 2015 African Cup of Nations against Sierra Leone. He was a key player in midfield for Ivory Coast during the 2017 and 2019 African Cup of Nations, providing the highest number of assists in the latter.