El Hadji Malick Diouf will return to West Ham United as a continental champion.
Diouf hasn’t played for West Ham United since the defeat to Aston Villa in mid-December but could be in line to return in time for Saturday’s Premier League clash against Sunderland.
The defender will bring with him a medal from Senegal’s victorious campaign in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Indeed, Diouf played as Senegal beat Morocco in the AFCON final in one of the most controversial international games in recent memory.
Urmmmmm….what?! How would you feel if West Ham SOLD Summerville to Spurs?! 🤔
A late tackle from Diouf on Brahim Diaz saw Morocco awarded a penalty towards the closing stages of regulation time. Senegal manager Pape Thiaw ordered his team off, before Sadio Mane urged his teammates to return to the field of play.
After a lengthy delay, Diaz missed that penalty with a frankly ridiculous attempt at a panenka. Senegal would go on to win it in extra-time.
That medal, however, is the only thing Diouf will be leaving the tournament with.
Malick Diouf not named in AFCON Team of the Tournament
It will no doubt take a while for the dust to settle on what happened in the final.
Still, football – as always – moves on.
Indeed, the African Football Federation (CAF) have announced their team of the tournament.
Despite the fact that Diouf starred in Senegal’s AFCON semi-final, the West Ham star has not been named in the eleven.
That honour in the left-back spot instead went to Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui.
AFCON 2025 Team of Tournament in full
Goalkeeper: Yassine Bounou
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Moussa Niakhate, Calvin Bassey, Noussair Mazraoui
Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye, Ademola Lookman, Pape Gueye
Forwards: Brahim Diaz, Victor Osimhen, Sadio Mane
Malick Diouf’s impressive stats in the AFCON final
His form may have tailed off recently but Diouf has been one of West Ham’s better players this season.
He certainly took that form into the AFCON final, too. According to FotMob data, he created one chance, won three tackles, made seven clearances and one block.
Impressively, he wasn’t dribbled past either.
There was an element of good luck with the penalty he gave away but even that was a harsh call – although one that shouldn’t have provoked such a reaction.
Diouf can surely consider himself hard done by here. Still, having that medal in his grasp probably makes up for it…
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