In a game on the TikTok channel Ricky Tactics, former Senegal international El-Hadji Diouf did not react to a single name before Lionel Messi’s. For him, only one player does better.
On the sidelines of Robert Pirès’s testimonial, held on 6 October 2026 in Metz, El-Hadji Diouf took part in a game on the TikTok channel Ricky Tactics, according to Yop L-Frii. The premise: the interviewer names footballers, and his guest reacts or stays silent.
Nicolas Pépé, Kingsley Coman, Pedro, Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Leroy Sané, Bukayo Saka, Franck Ribéry, Mohamed Salah, Eden Hazard: ten names, ten silences. Diouf, 45, did not react to any of them. Only Lionel Messi’s name drew him out of his reserve.
“Who can do better?”
His reaction came down to a single question, quoted by Yop L-Frii: “Who can do better?” Three words that sum up his position. For him, the Argentine is the only player who does better than him.
The sequence took place on the sidelines of Robert Pirès’s testimonial, held on 6 October 2026.
To defend his career, the Senegalese says: “Where I’ve been, I’m not sure that if they had been there, they would have succeeded. I didn’t succeed only because I had talent. My talent is innate.”
He adds, again according to Yop L-Frii: “But on the other hand, the determination I had from a very young age, they will never find it anywhere to succeed.”
69 caps and 64 man-of-the-match awards
Diouf also points to the numbers. He has 69 caps for Senegal and claims to have been named man of the match 64 times, according to Yop L-Frii. That second figure rests on his own word alone.
The record backs up his account of his career.
Former players present in Metz
Emmanuel Adebayor, Samuel Eto’o, Djibril Cissé, Mamadou Niang and Bafétimbi Gomis were also present at Robert Pirès’s testimonial, according to the same source.