AL KHOR, Qatar — On Sunday, Iliman Ndiaye line up next to him Senegal teammates sing their national anthem and join England in the round of 16 World Cup. While Senegal will lose to their opponents 3-0, all the memories of three years before Sunday’s game rushed into his head and his family’s hearts in the stands. There were tears, but also a lot of pride.
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Despite the Teranga Lions’ departure from the World Cup, the story of Iliman Ndiaye remains a remarkable one — a story of perseverance, faith, faith and strength. When you’re down, when no one believes in you and the road seems blocked, Ndiaye is proof that you can still make it through. And despite the loss to England, the young attacking midfielder will never forget the past four weeks. For him, this is really just the beginning of something that could take him all the way to the top.
From England’s amateur tournaments three years ago to the World Cup, football’s biggest stage, Ndiaye is a success story. The player with two French and half Senegalese blood always believes in fate when no one else believes in it.
Born in France 22 years ago, Ndiaye, the only son in a family of eight, was always considered a promising talent. He grew up in Rouen, where he started playing futsal for FC Rouen; The local media called him the “next Zizou” (in reference to the French legend Zinedine Zidane) because he was so good and so much better than others his age. After a difficult time at Marseille academy, he spent time in the Senegalese capital Dakar, his father’s hometown.
Ndiaye’s father has always been a big influence on him. He is a choreographer and teaches his son how to move, except that young Iliman uses those skills not to dance but to dribble. Today, the finesse and elegance of his playing skills stem from those early dance lessons. Ndiaye has quick feet, a light touch and agility that has made him one of the best dribblers in the Championship, England’s second division, where he plays for Sheffield United.
But the path he took to becoming a professional at Sheffield, and then to the World Cup, was far more complicated and exhausting than anything he did on the pitch.
After moving to London at the age of 14 to find a club and try to fulfill his dream of reaching the top, he played for Boreham Wood FC in England’s fifth division – one place below the professional league. England – before finding himself without a club. . One evening, while he was playing a five-man game in London, he was spotted by a trainer from the Rising Ballers foundation. They have four teams that compete in Sunday’s tournaments and give players who didn’t get into their academy a second chance at being scouted by professional clubs.
That’s how it ended up happening to Ndiaye. After years of struggle and doubt, he was finally on the right track. After three seasons with Boreham Wood, the player was signed by Sheffield United in the summer of 2019. Impressing their Under-23s, he had a chance to advance to the first team on 14 March 2021. , signed his first professional contract just two years later. no club. His stellar performances with Sheffield United (16 goals in 55 games) eventually convinced Senegal manager Aliou Cisse to call him up for the World Cup.
“His path has been phenomenal and that has given him a lot of strength. He’s very strong mentally. He believes in himself and he works hard.” Boulaye Dia, his Senegal team-mate, told ESPN ahead of the game against England. “He’s a really good kid, a good listener, wanting to learn and improve. I’m not surprised to see him at this level, at the World Cup. After all he’s been through, unbelievable.”
After coming on from the bench against Qatar and providing an assist Bamba Dieng for his team’s third goal in 3-1 winhis performance against Ecuador from the start was great. He plays at right midfield, makes 4/5 dribbles, creates chances and defends excellently. Pervis Estupinan, the Ecuadorian left-back, one of his team’s most powerful weapons. “Iliman was fantastic tonight. Because of where he came from, he didn’t feel any pressure. He went out and played his game,” teammate Idrissa Gueye tell ESPN later That’s 2-1 win. “The first time he came to us, he was a bit shy, but now he has shown his full potential.”
He had a tougher time against England. Ndiaye plays right behind Dia, as a hybrid 10/second striker and shows great energy again when trying to stop the ball from going. rice. He wished he could have influenced the game more with the ball at his feet, but on such an occasion he couldn’t be too disappointed in his performance. After all the sacrifices, this game is almost like a reward.
“He never gave up,” his first coach at Rouen, Hassan Talani, told ESPN. “He was a little prodigy with real talent when he was young but he had to find his way. It was difficult for him but he never stopped believing in work and now he it paid off.
After years of struggle, Ndiaye shone at the World Cup and showed that this is where he belongs. Several Premier League clubs didn’t have to wait for him to play against Ecuador or England to notice his talent. There is a lot of interest around him and it will only increase after the tournament. While Ndiaye has a contract at Sheffield United until June 2024 and is focused on getting the Blades promoted to the top flight this season, sources told ESPN that specific offers could come in January.
Whatever happens, you can bet Ndiaye will be confident and ready.
