Espagne : Un international sénégalais raconte comment il a été ruiné par un proche
In a poignant testimony given to the Spanish press, Pape Cheikh Diop revisited one of the darkest episodes of his life, combining a sporting fall and a personal tragedy.
There was a time when the Senegalese midfielder embodied the future of Spanish football. Having come through the ranks at Celta Vigo, he burst onto the scene by winning the U19 European Championship in 2015 with the Spanish national team, under the guidance of the current La Roja manager, Luis de la Fuente. Alongside talents like Rodri and Marco Asensio, his future seemed destined for greatness.
His transfer to Olympique Lyonnais in 2017, for an estimated €15 million, confirmed the expectations placed on him. But his time in France did not go as planned.
Lacking playing time, he went on a series of loans without managing to establish himself permanently, before leaving the club in 2022. What followed was an unstable career between Greece, Spain, Slovakia and Kuwait.
Now 28 years old, the Senegalese international (3 caps), born in Pikine, is trying to revive his career in the Spanish regional divisions, playing for EDF Logroño. An unexpected turn of events, the reasons for which he attributes to a devastating betrayal.
The player recounts that upon his arrival at Aris Thessaloniki, a person very close to him, whom he considered a father figure, took advantage of his trust to rob him. "He had access to everything. I trusted him completely. But he took everything from me: my money, my possessions, my investments," he confides.
The problem stems from a document signed by the player authorizing this man to act on his behalf. A decision he now acknowledges as a grave mistake. "I never imagined he could betray me like this. He disappeared without a trace," he explains, mentioning the total loss of his savings, estimated at several million euros.
Having returned to Senegal for a time to try to resolve the situation, he now says he is starting from scratch: "I have nothing left. It's a total ruin." An ordeal that has deeply marked him, particularly on a human level, making him now distrustful of those around him.
Despite everything, Pape Cheikh Diop remains hopeful of bouncing back. Supported by some close friends and his coach, he aspires to one day return to the top level, perhaps even La Liga.
His story, beyond football, highlights the dangers associated with the financial management of professional athletes, an increasingly worrying issue in the world of sport.
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