Iliman Ndiaye set a World Cup record off the bench as Senegal beat Iraq 5-0 in Group I. The Everton forward scored and assisted after coming on, then walked out of the match with a performance that puts fresh pressure on summer decisions around his future.
Ndiaye’s record night
He became the first player in World Cup history to come on as a substitute and score a goal, assist a goal, have five touches in the opposition box and make five dribbles. That is the sort of line that turns a routine group game into a reference point for a player’s tournament and a club’s planning.
Against Iraq, he assisted Pape Gueye for his second goal and then scored himself in a 5-0 win that secured Senegal’s passage into the knockout stages. Ndiaye had already shown his influence in the tournament by coming on and setting up Ibrahim Mbaye’s consolation in Senegal’s 3-1 loss to France.
Senegal’s route forward
His World Cup so far has been short but productive. Ndiaye was left unused in Senegal’s 3-2 loss to Norway, then responded with two assists in two World Cup appearances, a return that compares well with the most prolific creators in the competition.
Only Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes and Michael Olise had more assists in the tournament, with three each. For Senegal, that means the impact has come quickly and in different ways: from a bench role, from open play, and with the knockout stages already secured.
Everton’s summer call
Everton signed Ndiaye from Marseille for £15m, and the club now has a straightforward decision to make. The case for holding him is clear enough: he is already producing at the World Cup, he has been linked with Manchester United and Manchester City, and Everton are described as having enough to do in the summer without selling one of their better players.
Before the World Cup, Ndiaye said, “Everyone’s going to be watching the World Cup. It’s definitely a big opportunity for me.” He also said, “I want to be playing at the top level. I want to be playing Champions League football.” That leaves Everton with the hard part. If they keep him, they retain a player who is building value in public. If they sell, they do it knowing his tournament form has made him easier for others to want.
Senegal now move on to Belgium in the round of 32 on Wednesday, with Ndiaye carrying a record and a stronger case for a bigger role wherever he plays next.
