Dakar, Dec 19 (APS) – The door to the Senegalese selection is “widely open” for the interior of Real Madrid (Spanish elite), Eli John Ndiaye Faye, despite his naturalization by Spain, declared the director national technique (DTN) of Senegalese basketball, Raoul Toupane.
»The door is wide open for Eli Ndiaye. The national selection is for the best Senegalese of the moment (…). If he is committed to defending the colors of Senegal, we will do what is necessary to integrate him into the team. But the last word goes to the coach,” he said in an interview with APS.
The interior of Real Madrid (Spanish elite), Eli John Ndiaye Faye, confided Tuesday in an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI), not to exclude defending the colors of Senegal, although he played with Spain among small categories.
»For now, I’m playing with Spain. We’ll see, life can change at any time. We are here,” he told the French media.
For the DTN of Senegalese basketball, the “ball” is in the court of the native of Guédiawaye (a suburb of Dakar) and the national coach.
»He is a quality player, we need all the strength of the nation for the national team. He’s a player who plays in a top club, so that means he has quality,” said Raoul Toupane.
According to him, Eli Ndiaye will still be eligible for Senegal, if he does not play an official match with the senior Spanish national team.
“Changes of nationality are possible taking into account the parameter that he was born in Senegal, he is not a dual national,” added the Senegalese DTN.
Arriving in Spain in 2020, the young player, trained in Thiès, established himself to the point of wearing the Spanish youth team jersey.
Eli John Ndiaye Faye has already played more than 115 matches with the Real Madrid first team.
He won two national leagues with Real Madrid, a EuroLeague, a cup and three Spanish Super Cups. Eli John Ndiaye Faye was also EuroLeague junior champion and best player in this competition in 2021.
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