Idrissa Gueye Explained 2026: From Everton to Saudi Club Diriyah
SENEGAL · FOOTBALL · PROFILE
Key Facts
- —Who he is Idrissa Gana Gueye, a Senegalese defensive midfielder born in Dakar on 26 September 1989. He turned 37 last month.
- —Where he plays now Diriyah FC in the Saudi Pro League, which announced his signing on 9 August 2026 after his Everton contract ended on 30 June 2026.
- —Premier League record 254 Premier League appearances for Aston Villa and Everton, with 9 goals and 12 assists, according to the league’s own data.
- —With Senegal Two Africa Cup of Nations titles. He started the 2022 final against Egypt and set up the extra-time winner against Morocco in the January 2026 final.
- —In America He started all four of Senegal’s matches at the 2026 World Cup, two of them in New Jersey, and captained the side in the round-of-32 loss to Belgium in Seattle.
- —The flashpoint He was sent off at Old Trafford on 24 November 2025 for striking his own teammate, Michael Keane. Everton still won 1-0.
Idrissa Gueye, the Senegal midfielder whom American fans watched captain his country at the 2026 World Cup in Seattle, no longer plays in the Premier League. After seven seasons across two spells at Everton, he left when his contract ran out and joined Diriyah, a club newly promoted to the Saudi Pro League, in August 2026. At 37, he has won the Africa Cup of Nations twice.
This profile explains who he is, how his career ran from Lille to Merseyside and Saudi Arabia, why one red card made headlines worldwide, and what to watch now. Facts come from the Premier League’s and FIFA’s own match data, from the Confederation of African Football and from African and Gulf outlets.
Who Idrissa Gueye Is
Gueye, known in Senegal as Gana Gueye, was born in Dakar on 26 September 1989, according to the Premier League. He is a defensive midfielder: his job is to sit in front of the back four, win the ball and pass it on quickly. The league lists him at 1.74 metres (about 5 feet 8 inches) and credits him with 885 tackles and 519 interceptions in the Premier League.
That profile, small, relentless and rarely flashy, explains why big clubs kept buying him into his thirties. His value has always shown up more in the opposition’s missed chances than on the scoresheet.
From Lille to Everton, Twice
Gueye made his name in France with Lille before moving to England. The Premier League’s records show the path:
- Aston Villa, from 10 July 2015 to August 2016: 35 Premier League appearances in one season.
- Everton, from 2 August 2016 to 30 July 2019: his first spell at Goodison Park.
- Paris Saint-Germain, from the summer of 2019 until 2022.
- Everton again, from Thursday, 1 September 2022 to Tuesday, 30 June 2026, when his contract expired.
In his final Everton season, 2025-26, he played 25 Premier League matches, with 2 goals and 3 assists, according to the league. Across both spells he made 236 appearances for the club, the Senegalese daily Le Soleil reported when Everton confirmed his departure on Friday, 24 July 2026, adding that manager David Moyes praised his dedication, professionalism and leadership.
The Old Trafford Red Card
The moment most non-Senegalese fans remember came on Monday, 24 November 2025. In the 13th minute of Everton’s Premier League match at Manchester United, referee Tony Harrington sent Gueye off, according to the league’s match record. Kenya’s People Daily reported that he had slapped his own teammate, Michael Keane, in an argument and that goalkeeper Jordan Pickford separated them.
Everton played almost the whole match with 10 men and won 1-0 through a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall goal in the 29th minute. The Football Association rejected Everton’s appeal, so Gueye served the standard three-match ban. “We haven’t been given any reason why it was turned down, but we did appeal it,” Moyes said, adding that the matter “was all sorted within the dressing room.”
It was the second red card of his Premier League career, the league’s statistics show. It made headlines because the player he struck was his own teammate, but it is a footnote in a long career rather than its summary.
Two Africa Cup of Nations Titles
Gueye’s place in Senegalese football history rests on two finals. On Sunday, 6 February 2022, he started in midfield as Senegal played Egypt at Olembe Stadium in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in the final of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt’s Ahram Online lineup shows. The match ended 0-0, and Senegal won the penalty shootout 4-2, Uganda’s The Independent reported, for their first continental title.
Four years later he did it again. On Sunday, 18 January 2026, in Rabat, Senegal beat hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time in the final of the 2025 tournament. According to the Confederation of African Football, Sadio Mané back-heeled the ball to Gueye, who released Pape Gueye, a Senegal teammate, to score in the 93rd minute. CAF called it the second continental title in Senegal’s history.
The 2026 World Cup in America
American audiences saw Gueye at close range this summer. FIFA’s match data show that he started all four of Senegal’s games at the 2026 World Cup and wore the captain’s armband in the last two:
- A 3-1 defeat to France on Tuesday, 16 June, at New York New Jersey Stadium.
- A 3-2 defeat to Norway at the same stadium in New Jersey.
- A 5-0 win over Iraq in Toronto on Friday, 26 June, which sent Senegal through.
- A 3-2 defeat to Belgium in the round of 32 in Seattle on Wednesday, 1 July, which ended their tournament.
Senegalese nationals have faced partial US entry restrictions since 1 January 2026 under a presidential proclamation, which suspends immigrant visas and visitor, student and exchange visas for them. The same proclamation exempts athletes, coaches, support staff and immediate relatives traveling for the World Cup, the Olympics or other major sporting events.
Why He Is Now Playing in Saudi Arabia
Gueye’s Everton deal simply ran out. The club confirmed on 24 July 2026 that he would leave after his contract expired, and Le Soleil reported at the time that he was expected to join a Saudi club. On Sunday, 9 August 2026, Diriyah FC announced his signing in a video on X, the Saudi outlet Ajel reported. Neither side has published the length or value of the contract.
Diriyah is a newcomer. Arab News reported that the club was promoted to Saudi Arabia’s top tier for the first time this season and is coached by Bruno Lage. Gueye played in its first top-flight match on Thursday, 13 August 2026, a 1-0 defeat to Al-Ahli.
For a 37-year-old midfielder whose European contract had run out, the move keeps him playing every week in a national top flight, against clubs such as Al-Ahli.
What It Means for You
If you follow Everton or the Premier League: Gueye is gone after seven seasons across two spells, and Everton start 2026-27 without him for the first time since 2022. If you follow Senegal: he is the bridge between the side that won Senegal’s first African title in 2022 and the one that won again in 2026, and his role in the next qualifying campaign will show whether the coaches see him as a starter or a mentor.
If you want to keep watching him: his matches are now in the Saudi Pro League. And if you are a Senegalese fan hoping to travel to the United States, note that the athlete exemption in the US proclamation does not cover supporters.
What Is Not Known
- The length and value of Gueye’s contract with Diriyah; neither the club nor the player has published them.
- Whether he will keep playing for Senegal after the 2026 World Cup. No retirement from international football has been announced.
- His exact Everton totals by competition; Everton’s player pages could not be read for this article, so the 236-match figure is as reported by Le Soleil.
- How many minutes he has played for Diriyah so far this season; the Saudi Pro League’s player statistics could not be checked independently.
Frequently Asked Questions
What club does Idrissa Gueye play for in 2026?
Diriyah FC in the Saudi Pro League. The club announced his signing on 9 August 2026, after his Everton contract expired on 30 June 2026.
How old is Idrissa Gueye?
He was born in Dakar on 26 September 1989, according to the Premier League, so he is 37.
How many Africa Cup of Nations titles has Idrissa Gueye won?
Two. He started the final of the 2021 tournament against Egypt in February 2022, and he set up the extra-time winner against Morocco in the 2025 final in January 2026.
Did Idrissa Gueye play at the 2026 World Cup?
Yes. He started all four of Senegal’s matches, including two in New Jersey, and captained the team in the 3-2 round-of-32 defeat to Belgium in Seattle on 1 July 2026.
Why was Idrissa Gueye sent off against Manchester United?
He was shown a straight red card in the 13th minute on 24 November 2025 after slapping his Everton teammate Michael Keane. Everton won the match 1-0, and the FA rejected the club’s appeal against the three-match ban.
Sources: Premier League, Idrissa Gueye player profile and statistics, Premier League, Manchester United 0-1 Everton, 24 November 2025, FIFA, Belgium 3-2 Senegal, 1 July 2026, and Senegal’s World Cup matches, CAF, AFCON 2025 final report, 18 January 2026, CAF, AFCON 2021 final preview, February 2022, Ahram Online, AFCON 2021 final match sheet, The White House, proclamation of 16 December 2025, Le Soleil, Everton confirms Gueye departure, 24 July 2026, Ajel, Diriyah signs Gueye, 9 August 2026, Arab News, Al-Ahli spoil Diriyah’s league debut, 13 August 2026, People Daily, Gueye appeal rejected, November 2025, Ahram Online, Gueye red card, 25 November 2025, The Independent (Uganda), AFCON 2021 final live report, 6 February 2022. All retrieved 7 October 2026. Premier League and FIFA figures taken from the official match and player data published by the competitions.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error