Junior Ndiaye

Junior Ndiaye
Personal information
Full name Junior Salif Ndiaye Billong
Date of birth (2005-03-29) 29 March 2005
Place of birth Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 Montpellier
Number 24
Youth career
2012–2019 AS Lattoise
2019–2024 Montpellier
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Montpellier B 53 (20)
2024– Montpellier 19 (1)
2026 → Quevilly-Rouen (loan) 13 (4)
International career‡
2022 France U17 6 (2)
2025– United Arab Emirates U23 10 (6)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  France
UEFA European Under-17 Championship
Winner2022 Israel
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 30 June 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 16 January 2026

Junior Ndiaye Billong (Arabic: جونيور ساليف سامبا ندياي بيلونغ; born 29 March 2005) is an Emirati professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 2 club Montpellier.[1] Born in the United Arab Emirates, he represented France at international youth level before switching his international allegiance to his country of birth, which he currently represents at both Olympic and senior national levels.

Club career

Ndiaye started his youth career with AS Lattoise. He joined the youth academy of Montpellier in 2019.[2] In May 2023, he was elected as the club's best male academy player of the season.[3] He made his professional debut for Montpellier on 7 February 2024 in a 1–4 Coupe de France defeat to Nice.[4][5]

On 21 May 2025, Ndiaye signed his first professional contract with Montpellier.[6] He scored his first goal for the club on 18 August 2025 in a 2–1 win against Le Mans.[7]

On 28 January 2026, he was loaned by Quevilly-Rouen in Championnat National.[8]

International career

In international football, Ndiaye was eligible to represent France through his nationality, the United Arab Emirates through his birthplace, Senegal through his father, and Cameroon through his mother.[9]

Ndiaye has represented France at youth level.[10] In April 2022, he was named in the squad for the 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.[11] He played one match in the tournament as France defeated Netherlands in the final to win their third UEFA European Under-17 Championship.[12][13]

In August 2024, Ndiaye received his first call-up to the United Arab Emirates national team for FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Qatar and Iran.[14] In March 2025, he was named in the squad for the 2025 WAFF U-23 Championship.[15]

Personal life

Ndiaye was born in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in March 2005 and moved to France at the age of seven.[2] He is the son of Senegalese-born former footballer Samba N'Diaye who represented France and several French Ligue 1 clubs. His father also played for Al Nasr in Dubai during the mid-2000s.[9]

Ndiaye spent much of his childhood in France after his father settled there following his playing career.[16] he has also maintained connections with members of his French youth generation, including Désiré Doué, with whom he played at junior level.[16]

Career statistics

As of match played 18 October 2025[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Montpellier B 2021–22 Championnat National 2 20—20
2022–23 Championnat National 3 224—224
2023–24 Championnat National 3 176—176
2024–25 Championnat National 3 65—65
2025–26 Championnat National 3 23—23
Total 4918004918
Montpellier 2023–24 Ligue 1 001010
2024–25 Ligue 1 15010160
2025–26 Ligue 2 410041
Total 19120211
Career total 6819207019

Honours

France U17

References

  1. 1 2 Junior Ndiaye at Soccerway
  2. 1 2 "Guéguin – Ndiaye : " Une grande fierté "" (in French). 16 May 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  3. ↑ "Lola Gstalter et Junior Ndiaye lauréats 2023 du Challenge Colette Nicollin" (in French). 24 May 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  4. ↑ "L'abécédaire de la saison montpelliéraine" (in French). 23 May 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  5. ↑ "Première en professionnel pour Junior Ndiaye" (in French). 9 February 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  6. ↑ "Montpellier : le MHSC mise sur sa jeunesse avec Junior Ndiaye" (in French). 21 May 2025. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  7. ↑ "Le MHSC arrache une victoire folle à la 99e minute face au Mans" (in French). 19 August 2025. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  8. ↑ "Bienvenue Junior Ndiaye !" [Welcome Junior Ndiaye!] (in French). US Quevilly-Rouen Métropole. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Scouting : Junior Ndiaye-Billong, au nom du père" (in French). 16 May 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  10. ↑ "Equipe de France U17Junior Ndiaye et Axel Gueguin victorieux avec les Bleuets !" (in French). 25 February 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  11. ↑ "Les vingt joueurs choisis pour l'Euro" (in French). 30 April 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  12. ↑ "Focus N3: Junior Ndiaye, buteur non stop !" (in French). 7 December 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  13. 1 2 "La France remporte l'Euro des moins de 17 ans" (in French). 1 June 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  14. ↑ "Junior Ndiaye and Mackenzie Hunt call ups mark new chapter for UAE football". 30 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  15. ↑ "Junior Ndiaye convoqué en sélection U23 des Émirats Arabes Unis". 18 March 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  16. 1 2 Hawkey, Ian. "Junior Ndiaye eyes UAE debut and following in footsteps of illustrious French cohort". The National. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
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