Playing pathway Al Seyni Ndiaye

Ndiaye currently serves as captain and goalkeeper of the Senegal national beach soccer team. During the course of a glittering career, he has represented Les Lions de la Téranga with distinction in numerous tournaments, including an impressive eight editions of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup™. A prominent figure on the global beach soccer scene, Ndiaye has been a stalwart of the Senegal national team since its inception, after originally being drafted in for the continental qualifying competition for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Rio de Janeiro 2007.

Ndiaye opens the interview by explaining how he initially got into beach soccer, revealing that his first taste of the game came at the tender age of 17 in the qualifying tournament for the 2007 instalment of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. The Senegal shot-stopper then goes on to talk about the growth of the form of the game over the years, expressing particular pride at being a part of its successful development and his gratitude for the increased attention the discipline is receiving in his homeland.

When asked to describe his traits between the sticks, Ndiaye refers to his winning mentality, while stressing the importance of team cohesion when it comes to achieving success. He also discusses the well of motivation he draws on when on the pitch, citing the support of family and friends as his biggest source of inspiration. He also shares the pain brought by defeat, reflecting on his country’s wounding loss at the hands of Japan in the sides’ FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Russia 2021™ semi-final showdown.

Ndiaye speaks of his mission to ignite a passion for beach soccer in others and the immense pride he feels at his current iconic status within the game. The Senegal glovesman rounds off the interview by looking towards the future and revealing his dream of one day coaching the Senegal national team. He also aspires to promote and develop beach soccer across Africa in an effort to provide more people with the opportunity to discover the game. He closes by sharing his desire to see beach soccer included in the Olympic programme in the future.