Rassoul Ndiaye ready to learn from Patrick Vieira on Senegal return

Rassoul Ndiaye says Senegal’s returning players must quickly adapt to Patrick Vieira’s ideas as he prepares to make his return to the national team in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Le Havre AC midfielder has been recalled to the Senegal squad after a long absence, having previously made his international debut under former coach Aliou Cissé.

Ndiaye has not featured for Senegal since that first appearance but says he has returned to a positive environment as the Lions of Teranga prepare for their opening qualifier.

The midfielder says the presence of new players and other returning members means the squad will need to develop an understanding quickly. He also says the players must pay close attention to what Vieira wants from the team.

“Everyone is in a good frame of mind, there are new faces with the new players and those who are returning, so we will have to bond very quickly. Yes, the coach has introduced himself, and we all know him. Now, we will have to listen to what he wants, what he wants to do with this team ,” the midfielder suggested in an interview with FSF TV.

Ndiaye is also looking forward to working with Vieira and believes the former midfielder’s experience can help Senegal’s players develop.

The Le Havre midfielder says Vieira’s own experience in a box-to-box role could be particularly useful to him and the other midfielders in the squad.

“The coach was the first to play in this box-to-box role, so we have a lot to learn from him. He can help the midfielders, but also the whole team, to improve. I’m a midfielder who likes to be in both penalty areas: to defend and to attack. That’s what I do at club level, and I hope I can contribute to this team with that . “

Ndiaye’s return comes as Senegal prepares for the start of its 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign, with the squad currently in Maputo.

The Lions of Teranga are due to face Mozambique on Friday, 25 September, in their opening match of the qualifiers.

For Ndiaye, the immediate priority is to settle back into the national team environment and understand the demands of the new coach.

His return also gives him an opportunity to work under Vieira, who has begun his time with the Senegal team with a squad containing both new faces and players returning to international duty.

Ndiaye says the positive atmosphere within the group has helped him settle back into the squad. He is now hoping to translate the qualities he displays at club level into his performances for Senegal as the team begins its qualifying campaign.

With the opening fixture against Mozambique approaching, Ndiaye and his team-mates will now focus on putting Vieira’s instructions into practice and making a strong start to their 2027 AFCON campaign.