Iliman Ndiaye, now Everton’s top scorer with eight goals this season, has spoken candidly about the hardships that marked his path to Premier League football, revealing how repeated rejections once cast doubt on his future in the sport.
The 24-year-old Senegal international, in a deeply personal interview with Everton’s official YouTube channel, retraced the difficult road from obscurity to becoming a pivotal figure at Goodison Park. From humble beginnings to Premier League prominence, Ndiaye’s journey is a story of quiet defiance and relentless determination.
Born in Rouen, France, Ndiaye was raised in a lively household alongside his parents, seven sisters, and a younger brother. But it was in Senegal, during a formative period of his childhood, that his passion for football truly began to take shape.
“My grandfather saw me kicking things around the house,” he recalled. “So he bought me a football. That was the beginning.”
Despite his early enthusiasm, Ndiaye quickly discovered that talent alone would not be enough. He faced rejection after rejection during his teenage years in England, with trials at some of the country’s top academies yielding little success.
“I went to a lot of camps—Manchester United, Southampton, Reading, Tottenham, Chelsea, Crystal Palace,” he said. “They told my father I would never be a footballer. I was always hearing that I was too small, or that there were already players like me.”
But where others might have given up, Ndiaye pressed on. He recalled the pain of being turned away by Southampton after a three-year wait for a trial, during which he was the oldest participant. “It was hard. I was very emotional,” he admitted. “But I never stopped believing in myself.”
His breakthrough came not under the bright lights of a Premier League academy, but in the humble setting of Hyde United, where he had been sent on loan by Sheffield United.
It was there that Ndiaye’s raw ability caught the eye. David McGurk, his coach at the time, shared a memory that still brings a smile: “We had a warm-up drill where players had to keep the ball in the air while running across the pitch.
Iliman balanced it on his head and crossed the field like that. We had to change the rules. He was too good—it was like he was showing off.”
Following his return to Sheffield United, Ndiaye played a crucial role in their promotion to the Premier League, earning a move to Olympique de Marseille.
However, his time in Ligue 1 was short-lived. A return to England soon followed, with Everton securing his services and handing him a key role in their attacking line-up.
Now firmly embedded in the Premier League, Ndiaye is thriving. His performances for Everton have not only silenced the critics who once doubted him, but also reinforced his status as a rising star of African football.
With each goal, he continues to write a compelling story of perseverance, reminding fans and aspiring players alike that talent, belief, and hard work can overcome even the harshest doubts.
