Moussa Ndiaye: I love how the fans get right behind the team

Moussa Ndiaye has been a Royal Blue for almost two weeks now. The left-back, who joined S04 on loan from Belgian giants RSC Anderlecht, was thrust straight into the starting XI for last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Dynamo Dresden, and put in an impressive display on his debut. The 23-year-old looked calm and composed on the ball and seemed to immediately know how to effectively slot into Schalke’s system, even after so few training sessions with the team.

2. Bundesliga

Moussa Ndiaye in a Schalke training jacket at the training ground.

“It went pretty decently,” said the new signing when asked to sum up his first 76 minutes of 2. Bundesliga action, adding: “I’m ready to do even better in the games still to come. The team play with real intensity, which I like. I want to contribute as best I can.”

From watching online to standing in the spotlight

A sold-out crowd at the VELTINS-Arena showed just how impressed they were by Ndiaye’s debut performance when his substitution off the pitch was met with roaring applause. Schalke’s new number 16 was eager to heap praise back at the supporters, revealing that “in the days before my move here, I watched a few videos about the club online, and I was already taken aback then. To have experienced this atmosphere in person was simply unbelievable. I love how the fans get right behind the team.”

The team play with real intensity, which I like

Moussa Ndiaye

As the Knappen head north to Kiel on Sunday (15/2), the travelling fans will be sure to once again make themselves known and passionately cheer on the Royal Blues. Ndiaye and his new teammates are absolutely determined to reward their exceptional support with three points to take back to Gelsenkirchen. There’s a big chance that the left-footer will start for head coach Miron Muslic’s side once again for the 13:30 CET kick-off at Holstein-Stadion. Vitalie Becker, who had locked down the left-back slot until his injury in Berlin on matchday 18, is unavailable for the game against the Storks.

Ndiaye is wishing his teammate a speedy and full recovery, because in his words, “competition for places helps every player to improve. Everyone has to prove themselves in every training session and work hard if they want to earn a place in the team. I hope that Vitalie is back fit soon, I’m sure that we’ll push each other to be better then.”

Dreaming of a first international cap

By putting in a series of strong performances at Schalke, the new signing from Senegal, who, prior to his move to Anderlecht, featured for the youth teams at FC Barcelona and trained on several occasions with the senior squad during that period, is also hoping to work his way back into contention for the senior national team.

Ndiaye has been called up several times, most recently in March 2025, but has yet to earn his first cap for his country. At the last World Cup in Qatar, the then 20-year-old was even included in Senegal’s squad for the competition. “That was something very special for me. I’ll keep working hard so that one day I can finally make my international debut.”

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