Sheffield United: Why midfielder looks set to win first international cap after gruelling trip

James Shield
By James Shield

Sheffield United correspondent

Published 29th May 2022, 08:00 BST
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Iliman Ndiaye will be confident of earning his first senior cap for Senegal during the international break, with the reigning African Cup of Nations champions facing the world’s 84th and 136th ranked teams later this month.
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The Sheffield United midfielder was named in Aliou Cisse’s squad for their forthcoming matches against Benin and Rwanda as The Lions of Teranga look to defend their title in Ivory Coast.

MORE: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/sheffield-united-centre-half-linked-with-bramall-lane-tells-sister-club-he-wants-out-3712174

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lliman Ndiaye (C) of Sheffield United has been called up by Senegal: Darren Staples / Sportimagelliman Ndiaye (C) of Sheffield United has been called up by Senegal: Darren Staples / Sportimage
lliman Ndiaye (C) of Sheffield United has been called up by Senegal: Darren Staples / Sportimage

With his side currently rated as the 20th best on the planet by FIFA, Cisse can afford to select an experimental line-up when his team begins its qualifying campaign with a home game against Benin in Dakar on Saturday. They then travel to Kigali, where Carlos Alos’ men lie in wait. Without a fixture since January, Rwanda are 116 places below the visitors on the footballing pyramid.

MORE: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/ndiaye-on-his-football-mission-and-that-goal-at-fulham-3536913

Born in France, Ndiaye is eligible for its former colony by virtue of his Senegalese father and spent two years in the country as a youngster before moving to England.

One of United’s stand-out performers last term, he was a driving force behind their march into the Championship play-offs after establishing a formidable partnership with the now departed Morgan Gibbs-White.

Iliman Ndiaye enjoyed a breakthrough season at Sheffield United and is now in the Senegal squad: Andrew Yates / SportimageIliman Ndiaye enjoyed a breakthrough season at Sheffield United and is now in the Senegal squad: Andrew Yates / Sportimage
Iliman Ndiaye enjoyed a breakthrough season at Sheffield United and is now in the Senegal squad: Andrew Yates / Sportimage

United were informed the 22-year-old was part of Cisse’s plans last week, after Ndiaye pledged his allegiance to Senegal. He faces a 12520 mile round trip, although with Senegal not due to compete again until September, Heckingbottom will not be forced to revise the youngster’s pre-season training schedule.

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Benin are unbeaten in their last three outings, with their most recent result being a 1-1 draw with Togo in Turkey.

MORE: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/sheffield-united-iliman-ndiaye-on-his-big-breakthrough-moment-and-why-three-premier-league-clubs-might-now-regret-overlooking-him-3380215

Related topics:Rwanda