Sheffield United: Iliman Ndiaye speaks out on World Cup experience and Blades return

The youngster had just made his third and final appearance in Qatar for the Lions of Teranga, and made way at half-time with Aliou Cisse’s side 2-0 down to England. The physical adjustment, from the searing heat of Qatar to winter back in Sheffield, will have taken some time. But the mental one, the United starlet insisted, began almost instantly.

“I'm obviously happy to be back playing for Sheffield United with the boys and to see the fans out there supporting us,” Ndiaye said after the Huddersfield clash. “After the World Cup finished I was focused on this game. I've just enjoyed it out there. I really loved it.

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“I learned a lot there, playing in the big games and the important games. Like the Ecuador one. We needed to win that game to qualify and I learned a lot. It just makes you want to go to the next one so I'm going to work harder and harder.”

If any Unitedites had any concerns whatsoever about Ndiaye’s attitude after enjoying a taste of life on the world stage, his performance against Huddersfield surely dismissed them. A wonderful combination of skill and strength saw him evade three challenges and set up Billy Sharp for what proved to be the game’s winning goal; even if it wasn’t as natural as it may have seemed from the stands.

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“Billy’s finish was very good and that’s what it’s all about,” Ndiaye said. “My dribbling, it’s what I do. I saw him make the run and played it in. I kind of got the ball stuck in my feet, because I’m not used to playing with studs! But with the weather and the pitch, I had to.

“Billy hasn’t scored in a while so that meant a lot to him and the team as well. Hopefully it gets his confidence back high. We’ll just look to go again at Wigan away.”

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