Pape Gueye Shares Why He Joined Villarreal

Pape Gueye, the Senegalese player, shared that it was Marcelino who helped him transition from Marseille to Spain.

When Marcelino resigned as Marseille’s head coach in 2023, he made a promise to Gueye. He assured him that as soon as he secured a new position, he would reach out. True to his word, Marcelino fulfilled that promise months later when he became the head coach at Villarreal. The Spanish club presented Gueye with a project tailored for his growth as a player.

I remember Marcelino telling me as he left, ‘Once I take charge of a club, I’ll definitely give you a call.’ A few months later, Villarreal came through with a clear plan aimed at my development. At Marseille, there were many established stars, but at Villarreal, I finally had the chance to be at the center of the action.