The Spanish newspaper Marca shed light on the statements of the Malian Aliou Dieng, the former Al-Ahly midfielder, during his presentation as a new player in Valencia's ranks, after defending the value of the Egyptian league by citing what the Egyptian national team presented in the 2026 World Cup.
Valencia had announced the signing of Dieng, aged 28, coming from Al-Ahly, with a contract extending until 2028 with the possibility of extension for an additional season.
During his appearance at Mestalla Stadium, Dieng spoke about his experience in Egyptian football, affirming that the Egyptian league deserves appreciation, especially after the level shown by the Egyptian national team in the World Cup, particularly during the round of 16 match against Argentina.
Dieng said: "Why is the Egyptian league viewed as inferior to others? It's just a widespread idea. We saw Egypt play yesterday in the World Cup and saw their value, with players almost all from this league."
The Malian player added that he does not wish to enter into an argument about evaluating the Egyptian league, but prefers to focus on what he can offer with Valencia in the coming period.
Dieng spoke about his ambitions with the Spanish club, saying that his goal is to help Valencia return to the status it deserves, affirming that playing in Europe had been a childhood dream.
Dieng also praised the experiences of his former compatriots at Valencia such as Seydou Keita and Momo Sissoko, affirming his desire to follow in their footsteps and give his best with the Spanish team.
