Iliman Ndiaye Senegal: Where did Sheffield United star grow up? How did he arrive at Blades? When can we watch him at World Cup?

But who is the 23-year-old Blades starboy who is big news in the Steel City? He will be little-known to the rest of the football world … just yet, anyway…

Where is Iliman Ndiaye from? Where did he grow up?

Ndiaye was born in Rouen, a town north-west of Paris, to a Senegalese father and a French mother. Family shaped his development from a young age and he remembers training every day with his father and seven sisters, who were into athletics, to hone his skills.

His early promise didn’t go unnoticed. A Senegal news outlet rather boldly described Ndiaye as “a future Messi” and after a spell at Marseille, Ndiaye left France for Senegal when he was 11. There, he played football on sand and, in his own words, that’s where “I learned my skills and got my strength.”

At 14, he was on the move again. He arrived in London without knowing a word of English, but with a dream of becoming a professional footballer.

How did Iliman Ndiaye end up at Sheffield United?

Ndiaye is a product of the Rising Ballers academy and was picked up by non-league side Boreham Wood in 2019. He was the only one of 14 players scouted to be kept on and coach Cameron Mawer remembers Ndiaye’s early determination to become a footballer.

“I've never met anyone quite like him,” Mawer said. “We had almost 600 boys on the programme most years and we had to give them a Plan B. I’d say to him: ‘Ili, what are you going to do if you're not a footballer?’ And he’d say: ‘Nah, I'm going to be a footballer.’ Simple as that.”

Ndiaye moved to United in 2019 and a loan spell at Hyde United followed, before he established himself in the Blades’ U23s and was given his real chance in the first-team during the 2021/22 season. United narrowly failed to win promotion via the play-offs but Ndiaye has been even better this time around, scoring nine goals in the first half of the season to book his place at the World Cup where he will look to build on his two caps for Senegal so far.

Is Iliman Ndiaye married? Does he have any children?

Ndiaye has a child with his partner Ioana, a young daughter named Naya Amira Ndiaye. He is a dedicated family man, often posting photographs of his partner and daughter on social media and is close to his extended family, with many of them flying to support him when he made his debut for Senegal.

When will Iliman Ndiaye be in World Cup action for Senegal?

Senegal’s World Cup campaign kicks off on November 21 when they face Holland at 4pm UK time. After that opener, Aliou Cisse’s side then take on hosts Qatar on November 25, at 1pm UK time, before rounding off their group campaign against Ecuador on November 29 (3pm UK time).