- Ndiaye appeared in Senegal’s FIFA World Cup opener against France.
- Replaced Pape Gueye in 83rd minute and bagged an assist for Senegal’s goal.
- Winger made the case that he should be back in the starting XI for next game.
Senegal were beaten by tournament favourites, France, in their first match at the 2026 World Cup.
The French struggled to get going against a resilient Senegalese side, but eventually found their feet in the second half, with Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise shining for Les Bleus, guiding them to a 3-1 win.
Pape Thiaw’s side did show some resilience after going two goals down, and pulled one back through a powerful strike by one of the country’s most exciting talents, Ibrahim Mbaye.
Everton star Iliman Ndiaye did not make the starting XI, but he was brought on in the 83rd minute and made the most of his opportunity by claiming an assist, which has left his manager with a selection headache.
Iliman Ndiaye is in starting contention
In recent months, Ndiaye has emerged as one of Senegal’s key men after starting the majority of his country’s matches in the last AFCON campaign and in their two warm-up matches ahead of the World Cup.
The decision to drop him could well be a tactical one, with the quicker option of Ismaila Sarr being the man who took his place, and being more suited to a counter-attacking style of play.
Yet Everton’s best attacker has proven his strengths on the counter, making use of his array of skills and directness in running at defenders.
Regardless of who occupied the right wing for Senegal, the outcome would likely have been the same, considering the wealth of talent that France boasts; however, Ndiaye made the most of his brief cameo and gave himself an ideal platform to start the remaining two group matches.
Iliman Ndiaye’s future could be decided in the coming weeks
The Lions of Teranga must win their final two group matches if they are to secure an ideal opponent for a Round of 32 clash.
Their clashes against Norway and Iraq should mean they will see much more of the ball, and they will likely move away from the counter-attacking methods they used at Met Life Stadium.
Ndiaye may well find himself back in the starting XI, and with this comes the opportunity to show off his skills to the world.
Stellar performances will be required from the winger, and should he meet the standards expected of him, this could spell the end of his time at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with many of Europe’s biggest clubs likely to be ready to swoop.
