Everton talisman Ndiaye can win Ballon d'Or, claims team-mate Gueye
Iliman Ndiaye has been excellent for Everton, and club-mate Idrissa Gueye has backed his compatriot to reach the very top of the game.
Idrissa Gueye sees no reason why Everton team-mate Iliman Ndiaye cannot become just the second African player to win the Ballon d'Or.
Ndiaye joined Everton from Marseille ahead of the 2024-25 season, and has been the Toffees' standout attacker in that time.
The Senegal international has scored 13 Premier League goals and provided one assist, but has also brought plenty of tricks to the table.
Only Jeremy Doku (141) and Mohammed Kudus (126) have completed more dribbles than Ndiaye (95) in the Premier League since the start of last season, while he ranks 14th for duels won (252).
This season, Ndiaye is one of three Everton players, along with Jack Grealish (2.48) and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (2.45), to rank in the top four in the Premier League for expected assists (xA), with 2.40.
And compatriot Gueye feels the sky is the limit for Ndiaye, who he says has the talent to follow in George Weah's footsteps.
"I challenge [Ndiaye] every game, every time we play," Gueye told Everton's media channels. "I'm always speaking to him. He's a good boy, he listens a lot.
"I always knew he would be successful here at Everton and, honestly, I don't think he's shown his best yet.
"I train with him every day so I see his quality and I can see what he is capable of. He just needs to believe in himself, keep working hard and have high expectations of himself.
"I told him when he first arrived here that he can be the next African Balon d'Or winner, because he has the quality, he has the technique, he has the skills and everything.
"He has a combination I've never seen it before.
"He's a humble guy. A very, very good guy. He's not shy – he likes to play and joke with everyone. Nobody ever has a problem with him because he is humble and always keeps working hard."
Ndiaye has already scored four league goals for Everton this season, including a superb solo effort against Sunderland on November 3.
Only Grealish (55) and Gueye (40) have been involved in more open-play shot-ending sequences in the league than the 25-year-old's 37 for the Toffees this term.
Gueye and Ndiaye are set to be absent for up to a month starting from mid-December, with Senegal, who are pre-tournament favourites, in action at the Africa Cup of Nations.
