El Hadji Malick Diouf has packed more into a little over 20 years than many of us will manage in an entire lifetime.
West Ham United’s new No12 has represented his country, been part of the first African team to defeat England, won a league title, learned to speak fluent English and is now preparing to live in a fourth different country after joining the Hammers from Czech champions Slavia Prague.
Born in the capital of Senegal, Dakar, Diouf joined the renowned Galaxy Football Academy at the age of 13, where the coaches helped him to develop as a player and person over the next four years, before joining the Académie Mawade Wade.
In January 2023, just weeks after turning 18, he went on trial at Norwegian top-flight club Tromsø IL, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, where he experienced freezing temperatures and snow for the first time. Undeterred, he impressed, was offered a contract and joined the club the following month. The youngster quickly graduated from Tromsø’s reserve team to the senior side, scored in a penalty shootout on his debut and ended the season by helping ‘The Boys’ finish third to qualify for Europe.
Diouf’s progress continued apace as, just 12 months after moving to Norway, he was signed by Czech giants Slavia Prague - the same club from which West Ham signed Tomáš Souček and Vladimír Coufal in 2020. He made an immediate impact, scoring on his debut. He then played a starring role, scoring seven goals and assisting three and keeping 15 clean sheets in 27 appearances as Jindřich Trpišovský’s team dominated the Czech First League to win the title by 16 points. He also started all 12 ties in UEFA Champions League qualifying and the Europa League group stage.
Diouf’s talents naturally caught the attention of his national team, too, and he debuted in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying win over Burundi in September last year. Now a regular part of a Senegal squad which has not lost an international since January 2024, the wing-back started the Lions of Teranga’s historic 3-1 win over England in Nottingham in June, and is surely a certain starter at the upcoming Cup of Nations and 2026 FIFA World Cup, should Senegal qualify.
Before then, Diouf will fulfil his ‘dream’ of playing in the Premier League, following in the footsteps of so many of his country’s outstanding players, including West Ham’s own Cheikhou Kouyaté, whose advice he sought before confirming his decision to move to London Stadium.
A softly spoken young man with determination and motivation to do his best for himself and his family, El Hadji Malick Diouf will undoubtedly continue to achieve great things as he begins life as a Hammer…
Malick - welcome to West Ham United! How does it feel to be a Hammer?
“I’m just happy. I’m just happy to go for the new challenge. I’m really happy to be here and to make a progression for my career and I’m looking forward.”
Why West Ham?
“There were a lot of teams [who wanted to sign me], but I chose West Ham before and I spoke with the coach so it was a good plan for me, so that’s why I chose West Ham.”
What has the Head Coach Graham Potter said to you about the Club and how he sees you fitting in?
“He said ‘You have the potential to come here [and do well]’ and about the system also, as I played the same system [as a wing-back] there in Slavia. Before that, when I was in Norway, I played as a left wing-back, so all my career, I played on this side. If you talk about being a wing-back, it’s a top position.”
Slavia Prague to West Ham United has been a successful career path - are you pleased to be following the likes of Tomáš Souček and Vladimír Coufal?
“I think Slavia is the best team in the Czech Republic, so right now they sold that to everyone. We had good players, a good coach [Jindřich Trpišovský] and the organisation there is really good. They have had a lot of big players, like Souček and Coufal. Now I’m here, and I think they’re doing well.”
West Ham have got a great tradition of Senegalese players - Henri Camara, Demba Ba, Papa Bouba Diop, Mohamed Diamé, Cheikhou Kouyaté and Diafra Sakho - and you are now part of that tradition!
“I know also about Cheikhou Kouyaté as he was here and I was talking with him before. I was at his home to talk about the Club and the structure here and he told me a lot about West Ham and I confirmed my choice to be here.
“He’s still the captain. He’s not there playing, but when we have the [national team] games, he’s in the dressing room to talk with everyone, to push with us. I think he’s a good person. It’s my decision. I think about my future first and I think I will not regret to take this decision.”
Why have Senegalese players done so well in the English Premier League?
“I think it’s about the dream. Everyone wants to come here to play in the Premier League. I think it was a dream for everyone. When they are here, they want to make everything good. I think they also have the personality to play here and if you are young, you want to continue your progression.”
Please can you tell us about your career?
“Before I played football, I was playing tennis, but I stopped that to go and play football and I started at the Galaxy Football Academy in Dakar when I was 13. I played in the Under-13s, Under-15s, Under-17s and Under-19s and I got to the national team in the Under-17s and Under-20s, so I did all my youth career there before I joined Mawade Wade. This academy, they took me to Norway, to Tromsø. I spent ten months there before I joined Slavia.”
You moved to the Arctic Circle by joining Norwegian club Tromsø in the winter of 2023?
“It was difficult because when I got there for the first day [of my trial], I told my agent that I couldn’t stay there because it was so cold! I never saw this country, with a lot of snow. It was difficult for me to go in the training, but I took the decision to go back [and stay there] and I think it was a good experience for me.
“I was there in January for five days before I signed. I went back to Senegal and I joined them in February. It was difficult, but we are there for the family also. When we think about the family, we have to go 100% to make the dream possible.
“I was 18. It was not easy because I was starting with the B-team to get some progression there before I joined the A-team and after 21 games, everything will be perfect. In my first game with the A-team I went for a penalty and I took the last shot. I put it inside the post and I took a lot of confidence from the coach [Gaute Helstrup] and this game started to put me on the pitch.”
You were only with Tromsø a short time but you were very popular with your teammates and supporters there?
“If you are young, you have to keep your personality. It’s about the team. The most important thing is the team, not the player.”
You then moved from northern Norway to central Europe, to Czechia and Slavia Prague, in January 2024?
“It’s a good city. Slavia is different from Norway. It’s not the same. I think there [at Slavia] it was a family and in the dressing room it was so funny. I am close to the coach and we talk about everything, not just about football. It’s sad and some players didn’t want me to leave, the fans also, and the coach told me that he wanted to keep me there, but it’s really good to go for the new challenge. I love them so much. It was a good story. We won the league there and now they play for the Champions League. It’s enough for me.”
You are now a Senegal international and played in Nottingham in June this year and made history as the first African team to beat England?
“First of all, the game against England was a good challenge for us. In Senegal, we played 21 games and we didn’t lose any of these games. It was a good challenge for us. We played against them in the World Cup [in 2022] and they beat us 3-0, so we were there to try to win the game, and we did it. It was good.
“It was difficult. They have a big team and big players and a big coach, so I think it was incredible. It was amazing. It was an amazing game.”
And now we will see your qualities as a West Ham player. What do you see as your strengths?
“First, I’m a defender. I just wanted to improve how I defend. Now I think I’m not really, really good, but I know how to do it. Offensively, also I continue to improve. I try to score a lot of goals and make a lot of assists, like I did in Norway in Tromsø and Slavia Prague. I just want to continue the same way and I’m looking forward to it.”
Are you looking forward to the challenge of playing in the English Premier League?
“I think every game like this will be difficult. It will be not like Slavia Prague. It will be more hard so we’ll go step by step to get the best strengths and the power to be ready to play every game.”
Are you looking forward to living in London?
“I don’t know too much because it’s my first time here. I’ve got a lot of friends, like the national team [players who are here], so I will talk to them about the city, but I don’t want to go out too much. I just want to focus on my football and my career. I hope my family will be here to help me, so that will be good. My brother will be here as I want him to be close to me, and after my parents will be here. It’s important to be part of the family, to be with your family as it’s difficult to stay alone.”
Family is important to you and West Ham is a family, so what is your message to your new family?
“I want to say I’m very happy to be here with them. I think we’ll make a very good season this year. We’re looking forward to winning a lot of titles and I hope so.”
