Idrissa Gueye Football Profile: Al-Diriyah Midfielder, Senegal Caps and Net Worth

Idrissa Gueye is a Senegalese defensive midfielder, born in Dakar on 26 September 1989, who joined Al-Diriyah in the Saudi Pro League on a free transfer on 9 August 2026. His full name is Idrissa Gana Gueye, and he became the first Senegalese player to reach 100 caps on 24 March 2023. On 18 January 2026 he captained the Teranga Lions to their second Africa Cup of Nations title. For readers in South Africa who call the game soccer, he is the same Gana Gueye who spent two spells tackling for Everton in the EPL.

Gueye's journey from Dakar provides the thread through his club career and Senegal achievements. His role as a holding midfielder also explains why tackling became such a prominent part of his reputation. Financial estimates need a different kind of scrutiny, while viewers across the five countries need kick-off conversions that suit their location. Use the club and international modules for changing career totals.

Who Is Idrissa Gueye?

Idrissa Gueye is a holding midfielder whose whole game is built on winning the ball back and handing it to a teammate better placed to use it. Across West and East Africa most fans simply call him Gana, the middle name that has followed him from Dakar to France, England and Saudi Arabia. Stopping a counter attack before it reaches the defence is central to his role, even when that intervention attracts less attention than a goal. His full name, Idrissa Gana Gueye, explains the familiar Gana nickname.

The record explains why he is celebrated. He won Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France with Lille in 2010-11, won Ligue 1 again with Paris Saint-Germain in 2019-20 and 2021-22, and was named Everton Player of the Season for 2024-25. With Senegal he reached the 2019 AFCON final, won the 2021 tournament, and lifted the trophy as captain in January 2026. In 2022 he was made a Grand Officer of Senegal's National Order of the Lion, which tells you how Dakar regards him.

The Road From Dakar: Every Club

The road began at Diambars, the Senegalese academy club where his senior career started in 2007-08, and it led to Lille in 2008. His time at Lille lasted until 2015 and included the Ligue 1 and Coupe de France double in 2010-11.

His first step into the EPL came with Aston Villa in 2015-16. Everton signed him in 2016, and the move gave him a regular place in a side built around hard running midfielders. His first Everton spell lasted until 2019, with his tackling becoming a defining feature of his midfield work.

Paris Saint-Germain took him in 2019, giving the Senegal midfielder a Champions League platform. In those three seasons PSG won Ligue 1 in 2019-20 and 2021-22, the Coupe de France in 2019-20 and 2020-21, the Coupe de la Ligue in 2019-20 and the Trophée des Champions in 2022. They also reached the Champions League final in 2019-20 and finished runners up.

He returned to Everton on 1 September 2022 on a two year deal, reportedly for GBP 2 million, and stayed until 2026. His second spell included both Everton Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season honours for 2024-25.

Why Did Gueye Leave Everton for Al-Diriyah?

Everton announced on 24 July 2026 that Gueye would be leaving, and he joined Al-Diriyah in the Saudi Pro League on 9 August 2026 as a free agent on a one year contract. He turned 37 a few weeks after signing. The move offered a new setting for regular football and brought Al-Diriyah the experience of a Senegal captain.

The transfer added a Saudi chapter to a career that began in Senegal and developed in France and England. To follow his contribution at Al-Diriyah, read the appearance and goal entries alongside the contract details in the club module.

What Does Gana Gueye Do on the Pitch?

A holding midfielder sits in front of the defence, reads where the opposition want to play, and closes that space before the pass arrives. The role is sometimes called a destroyer, but the job is as much about position as it is about tackles. Think of the conductor on a Lagos danfo, keeping everyone in their seat and the money moving while the driver gets the credit. Gueye's approach centres on timing, short bursts and a quick, simple pass once the ball is won.

The numbers first made his name in 2016-17. In that season he won 100 tackles, and he was the first player in the top five leagues of Europe to reach that mark that season. For a player in his first year at Everton, that was a statement that travelled well beyond Merseyside, and it is the record that many fans still quote when his name comes up in an argument.

The more remarkable figure came eight years later. In 2024-25, at the age of 35, he made the most tackles in the Premier League, with 133, and he was named both Everton Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season. A tackle count captures only part of a midfielder's contribution. Reading passing lanes and choosing when to challenge help explain how those interventions fit into his wider role.

His best moments for Senegal show the other side of his game. At the 2018 World Cup he started all three group matches and assisted the opening goal against Poland, a reminder that the ball he wins often becomes an attack within seconds. If you are watching him for the first time, ignore the ball for a few minutes and follow where he stands. The gaps he closes are the real highlights.

Gueye and the Teranga Lions: Debut, AFCON Titles and the Caps Module

Gueye made his Senegal debut on 11 November 2011. At the 2018 World Cup, he started every group match. For international appearance totals and goals, consult the Senegal module; those entries track his playing record beyond the dated milestones described here.

Senegal reached the AFCON final in 2019, when Gueye earned selection for the tournament's best XI. He also received a place in the 2019 CAF Team of the Year. Senegal finished runners up that summer, but the wait ended at the 2021 tournament, when the country won its first Africa Cup of Nations with Gueye in the side. On 24 March 2023 he earned his 100th cap in a 5-1 win over Mozambique, becoming the first Senegalese player to reach 100 caps.

The 2025 AFCON final on 18 January 2026 provided another defining moment. Gueye wore the armband as Senegal beat hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time. He captained Senegal to that title at 36, adding a leadership milestone to his earlier tournament success. Protecting the defence remained central to his contribution.

For readers following the Super Eagles and the Black Stars, Gueye offers a useful example of the holding midfielder's craft. His 2024-25 season provides a dated reference for studying tackling alongside positioning. His career sits comfortably alongside the best African footballers of his generation.

Idrissa Gueye net worth

Salary Sport estimates Idrissa Gueye's net worth at GBP 53.456 million; its publication year is unconfirmed. That is roughly NGN 106.9 billion, KES 9.09 billion, UGX 256.6 billion, ZAR 1.23 billion and GHS 801.8 million using the illustrative conversion assumptions below. The figure appears to be extrapolated from career earnings, but its method could not be confirmed, and it looks like an outlier beside other published estimates. These are published estimates, not accounts or verified statements of his assets and liabilities.

For salary, Capology reports an Everton annual gross figure of GBP 6.24 million excluding bonuses, while Salary Sport reports GBP 7.28 million a year; neither outlet's publication year is confirmed. The Capology amount was available only in a search result snippet, so the underlying entry could not be checked. The lower figure is roughly NGN 12.48 billion, KES 1.06 billion, UGX 29.95 billion, ZAR 143.5 million and GHS 93.6 million annually; the higher figure is roughly NGN 14.56 billion, KES 1.24 billion, UGX 34.94 billion, ZAR 167.4 million and GHS 109.2 million. Both concern his Everton years. No published Al-Diriyah wage was verified, and the Everton estimates should not be treated as his Saudi salary.

For image rights income, no figure, attributable outlet or publication year was verified, so no amount or currency conversion can be given.

For market value, no figure, attributable outlet or publication year was verified, so no amount or currency conversion can be given. Market value estimates a player's transfer value and does not establish personal wealth.

For endorsements, no income figure, attributable outlet or publication year was verified, so no amount or currency conversion can be given. An undisclosed amount should not be read as zero.

For scale only, the rough conversions assume GBP 1 equals NGN 2,000, KES 170, UGX 4,800, ZAR 23 and GHS 15. These are illustrative assumptions, not dated exchange rate quotations; actual conversions vary with the rate used. Salary measures earnings over a period, while net worth depends on assets and liabilities, including savings, investments and debts. Adding salary, image rights, market value and endorsements together would not establish Gueye's net worth.

How to Watch Gueye From Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana and Uganda

Following Gueye's Saudi club football from Kenya or Uganda requires no adjustment to the local Saudi clock. An Al-Diriyah fixture scheduled for 21:00 in Saudi Arabia corresponds to 19:00 WAT, 21:00 EAT, 20:00 SAST and 18:00 GMT. For his club appearances, pair the start time in the fixtures module with the country specific broadcaster entry, which can change between seasons.

For Gueye's Senegal appearances in Dakar, Ghanaian viewers share the host city's GMT clock. A Senegal home fixture beginning at 20:00 in Dakar translates to 21:00 WAT for Nigeria, 23:00 EAT for Kenya and Uganda, 22:00 SAST for South Africa and 20:00 GMT for Ghana. That example puts the start of Gueye's midfield shift three hours later on East African clocks than on Senegalese ones. When following his AFCON fixtures, use the tournament module to account for the host country's time zone.

To follow Gueye through a television service or mobile stream, first choose the relevant Al-Diriyah or Senegal fixture. Match its listed start time to your country's clock, then consult the accompanying broadcaster details for access in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana or Uganda. Checking both entries together helps distinguish the timing of his club football from his Senegal appearances.