Evan Ndicka: Roma’s Ivorian Rock at the Back
Born on August 20, 1998, in Saint-Malo, France, Evan Ndicka began playing football at a young age and joined Ligue 2 side AJ Auxerre at the age of 13, progressing through the club’s academy and making his professional debut on 27 January 2017, starting in a 1–0 win over Clermont Foot. Ndicka signed his first professional contract with the club on 5 February. He ultimately made 14 appearances for the club over the next season and a half before signing for Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported fee of €5.5m in the summer of 2018.
Ndicka quickly impressed in Germany thanks to his pace, athleticism and resolute defending, featuring regularly in the league and UEFA Europa League and earning the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month award for February 2019. From that point onwards, he only missed one match for the remainder of the season as Eintracht narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification and fell to Chelsea in the Europa League semifinals.
AS Roma Part Ways with Daniele de Rossi after Eight Months in Charge
It didn’t take long before he was considered one of the premium defenders in Germany’s top-flight, earning a spot in the 2021/22 EA Sports Bundesliga Team of the Season, with Ndicka leading Eintracht to the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League title as well as the 2022/23 DFB-Pokal Final before leaving on a free transfer after the expiry of his contract. He joined Roma on a five-year deal on June 21, 2023 — that same month, Ndicka switched allegiances and chose to represent the Ivory Coast, having previously represented France at the U16, U17, U18, U19, U20 and U21 level.
Ndicka’s debut campaign in Italy was marred by the events of April 14, 2024, when he collapsed in the 73rd minute of their match vs. Udinese due to chest pain. He was taken away on a stretcher whilst conscious, and the match was abandoned 15 minutes later in a 1-1 draw. Ndicka was discharged after a few days at the hospital and continued his recovery in Roma, where he made a seamless convalescence and started playing with no fear whatsoever.
Known for his aggressive style of play, Ndicka is skilled at pressing high up the field and winning the ball back quickly. He is also comfortable with the ball at his feet and has shown good vision and passing ability. His speed and agility allow him to cover a lot of ground on the pitch, making him a valuable asset to his team.
He is an expert at marshaling his teammates and directing the defense. He is the glue that held the team together, and his leadership qualities have inspired confidence in his teammates. But what truly set the Ivorian apart from other defenders is his mental toughness. He is a warrior on the pitch, and his ability to stay focused and motivated even under intense pressure is inspiring.
Ndicka looked set to make his international debut in an AFCON qualifier vs. Zambia only to withdraw due to heart issues, eventually making his debut on September 9, 2023 in a 1-0 win vs. Lesotho. He played an integral role in the Ivory Coast’s successful AFCON campaign, playing every single minute as Les Éléphants defeated Nigeria in the final on home soil. This impressive form has translated to club level — the 25-year-old Paris native has started in each of Roma’s last 19 matches dating back to the start of May, exhibiting imperviousness and composure in the middle of Ivan Jurić’s back three.
Against Dynamo Kyiv, Ndicka wore the captain’s armband and held down the fort in defense, winning all three of his aerial duels, completing 64 out of 69 passes, 4 out of 7 long balls, and registering 3 clearances. What’s more, he blocked one shot and made one tackle and interception apiece in a match. Whilst Artem Dovbyk’s early penalty paved the way for a 1-0 win in the UEFA Europa League, it was Ndicka who kept things tight at the back and organized the team with the leadership and communication skills of a veteran.
It seemed that Mats Hummels was going to finally make his Roma debut — instead, Ndicka got the start and rewarded Jurić’s confidence with a measured display at the Stadio Olimpico. “Currently, I see Hummels in direct competition with Ndicka. At this moment, our defensive unit appears to be functioning effectively. Ndicka is performing well and is ahead of Hummels, although I know Hummels is a seasoned professional and will surely be given his opportunities.”
In their following match, Fiorentina found themselves two goals to the good after 17 minutes, but Roma would pull one back as Ndicka set up Manu Koné for a goal in the 39th minute. However, La Viola would immediately restore their two-goal cushion as Roma academy product Edoardo Bove teed up Moise Kean before finding the back of the net against his parent club after the break, and Mario Hermoso received his marching orders shortly after. Desperate to shore up the backline, Jurić threw on Hummels for Paulo Dybala, who needed just four minutes to mark his Roma debut with a goal. Unfortunately for Roma fans, it came in the wrong end.
Ndicka kept things tight at the back alongside Gianluca Mancini and Angeliño, keeping Che Adams and Antonio Sanabria quiet and paving the way for a 1-0 win — the first match in 46 days where Torino failed to find the back of the net. However, he failed to build on that momentum in their following match, with Hellas Verona taking the lead on two separate occasions in the first 34 minutes before finally prevailing with a 3-2 win thanks to an 88th-minute goal from Abdou Harroui.
Seven months after suffering a collapsed lung vs. Udinese, Evan Ndicka is going full steam ahead for both club and country and proving essential in the heart of defense, showcasing his physical prowess, versatility, and technical finesse on the ball. He’ll be looking to keep building on his promising start to the season as he seeks to keep out one of the greatest defenders of his generation in Mats Hummels and help Roma escape the mid-table positions.
By: @Laka993
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Fabio Rossi / AS Roma