The midfielder has played 18 times for Everton this season
Many of Idrissa Gueye’s family members were obsessed with football(Image: Molly Darlington – AMA/Getty Images)
Idrissa Gueye has been a regular pick in Everton’s midfield in the 2024/25 campaign. The Senegalese international is in his second spell at the Merseyside club.
Gueye was at Everton from 2016 to 2019. He then spent three years at French side Paris Saint-Germain before returning to Merseyside in 2022. He is likely to feature when Sean Dyche’s side face Bournemouth away from home this afternoon.
Despite Gueye being his surname, Gana is the name you will see on the back of his Everton shirt every week. When asked why this was the case in a 2016 interview, he revealed it was because of his family.
Gueye said: “Gana is my middle name and the name my father gave me in honour of my grandfather. It was passed down to me as a mark of respect for my grandfather, though he never liked football.
“My father played and my two older brothers played but my grandfather no, he had no interest in the game at all. I’ve always lived for football, everyone in Senegal absolutely loves football apart from my grandfather! My big brothers played and although they didn’t get to the same level they were my role models.
Gueye wears his middle name Gana on the back of his shirt(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
“Growing up my life was football. My dad bought me footballs from an early age and we lived right by the sea, so I would play on the beach all the time. My brother taught me to do keepy-uppies. For all my friends, it was the thing we loved. Our passion was football.”
In an interview at around the same time, Gueye revealed he had been supported by fellow Senegalese footballer Oumar Niasse after his move to Merseyside. He said: “Oumar has helped me settle in, told me I needed to be in at a certain time, the importance of being punctual. He’s shown me around the city and where to eat.”
For a period, Everton had a midfield of Abdoulaye Doucoure, Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana, all of whom shared the Muslim faith. Doucoure, who is still at Everton, said they had a “strong relationship” on and off the pitch, praying in the dressing room where Gueye acts as the imam, and attending a mosque for Friday prayers.
Doucoure said: “We speak the same language so we are very close and play together in the midfield, which brings us even closer. We always pray together and ask for space to pray. People are very welcoming and give us space. Idrissa usually leads because he is older and has a good voice.”