Spain: Cheikh Tidiane Thiam shines on his Villarreal debut

25.07.26 FT Club Friendlies

PSV Eindhoven

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Villarreal

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Villarreal got back on track this Saturday. After suffering a 0-2 defeat to Benfica a few days ago, the Yellow Submarine bounced back with a resounding 3-1 friendly win over PSV Eindhoven, thanks to a Senegalese name: Cheikh Tidiane Thiam, just 20 years old.

A game-changing debut

Coming on in the 59th minute for his very first appearance with the senior squad, Cheikh Tidiane Thiam immediately made his mark by changing the course of the game. He delivered the assist for Georges Mikautadze's opener in the 66th minute. Just a few minutes later, the young midfielder found the net himself to make it 2-0, giving the Yellow Submarine a comfortable lead.

A future to watch

Trained in Senegal at Cambérène and then Oslo FA, the young Senegalese midfielder arrived at Villarreal in 2025. Captain of the U20 national team, he played 26 matches last season with the reserves. With this impressive debut, he's making a strong case for a spot in the first team under the guidance of Iñigo Pérez.

Nafongo TRAORE |

News Editorfr, ar, en

Nafongon Moussa TRAORE, Burkinabè de 25 ans, est passionné de football, est rédacteur pour Foot Africa et commentateur pour BurkiFoot.

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