Crystal Palace forward Eddie Nketiah’s story is one of fortitude and determination, one that began in the South East London area of Deptford and saw him scouted to Chelsea’s Academy at age nine and released at age 14. Undeterred, Nketiah moved on to North London, where he quickly rose through the ranks of Arsenal’s youth system, eventually making his senior debut for the Gunners in 2017. After 38 goals in 168 first-team appearances for Arsenal, Nketiah signed with Crystal Palace last August.
In an interview captured by nbcsports.com, Nketiah discusses the Ghanaian upbringing and community that shaped him, the African footballers that inspired him, how his love for Ghana fuels his motivation every time he takes the pitch, and his return to South London.
Chelsea legends Didier Drogba and Michael Essien, he said, were among players that inspired him growing up.
INSPIRATION
In his word: “There were loads! Growing up and being in Chelsea Academy, Michael Essien was a Ghanaian player at the time, but a big one would probably be Didier Drogba. He’s such an icon — a striker who really left his footprint with Chelsea and in the Premier League.
“The joy he played football with, the smile he used to have on his face, the way he used to celebrate — dancing with teammates — that left a real impression on me. That’s why I always try to celebrate my goals whenever I score and just have that joy in football because that’s why we play — to be able to smile and enjoy our work that we are blessed to be able to do every day,” he said.
Family motivation
In speaking about his family culture, he mentioned that it encompasses delicious meals, strong beliefs, self-assurance, and a solid foundation that supports all his endeavors.
“Yeah, it was very, very joyful. There was a lot of good food along the way, a lot of faith, and it’s instilled confidence and a good foundation in me. I’m really in touch with that. I try to go back home to Ghana when I can and have holidays. A lot of my family and friends are from that part of Africa, so it’s really nice. We have a really good culture, and I think it [shows] through everything. That hard work, discipline, and enjoyment of everyday life mentality, has followed me through everything I do,” said Nketiah
Reflecting on his most unforgettable experience in Ghana, the Crystal Palace striker mentioned that the warm reception at the Ghana airport was the highlight of his trip.
“Probably the welcoming I got at the airport. It was very, very joyful. It was really exciting to see so many people happy to see me back — the dancing and the good food. That nice, positive feeling was the most enjoyable moment. It was a warm welcome.”
Nketiah, 25, added that the support of the Ghanaian people motivates him to put in extra effort, as he understands that his journey influences their lives.
“It’s amazing. It gives me a lot of motivation to keep doing what I’m doing and work even harder, knowing that people are also getting joy and living through my experience. I always keep that in the back of my mind whenever I go out to train and play. I’m playing for myself, but also for my family and the people who supported me. They’ve sacrificed a lot to help me get here.”
Even though life is not a bird of roses, the parental upbringing made Nketiah resilience and tenacious in his career as that upbringing instills confidence in him as well as believing in God.
Parents’ motivation
“My mom and dad have always told me to have confidence in myself, in my abilities, and also to have faith in God. That’s been a really big part of my upbringing, and I think that resilience and tenacity come from there. Once you have that confidence in yourself and belief in God, if you work as hard as you can, opportunities will always arise. I’ve always known that things are never going to come easy in life, and you have to work for them. But if you work hard enough, there’s always a reward on the other side,” he said.
In his view, having the family name displayed on an English jersey fills the household with happiness.
“It means everything. There are so many people — descendants — that come from that name, so I’m making a lot of people proud.
“There are a lot of people in my family who probably wanted to be footballers and couldn’t quite get there. Through me, they get to live that experience and have that pride to see the name whenever I step on the pitch — whenever I score, whenever I celebrate achievements. I know I’m playing for a really important meaning and for a lot of people that are important to me, so I always try to give my best,” Nketiah said.
Ghanaian ambassador
In representing his background at the global stage, the Glaziers forward viewed it as an opportunity to excel, become a role model and inspire others to reach their goals in life.
“It’s an amazing opportunity. We’re blessed to be able to do what we do and to be role models for people to look up to, see what we’re doing, and follow in our footsteps. I just want to work as hard as I can to hopefully create my own legacy that people can look back on and be proud of — people who have a similar upbringing as me or come from the same environment, who believe it may not be possible. I want them to see someone like myself who they can hopefully relate to. It’s nice to have that opportunity to do well and give that motivation and sense of hope to people trying to achieve their dreams,” said Nketiah.
Discussing the challenges he encountered after his move from Arsenal, Nketiah mentioned that the most challenging period was likely the first muscle injury he had, adding that timely recovery from that situation was a good one for him.
“It’s a new environment. I think that was needed for me. I’m 25 now, and I had a good start to my career at Arsenal, but I felt like it was nice to take the next step and come here — a place where they’ve given young players a lot of opportunity to flourish. It’s been a good, good move so far. It’s had difficult times, but some good times as well.
“The biggest challenge was probably coming back from injury — the first muscle injury of my career. Being able to overcome that in a [short] time was a good challenge for me.
“Restarting and being out of your comfort zone every day, working in a new environment, under a new manager — it’s been good, and I’m learning every day. I’m improving and learning more about myself. I’m looking forward to the future here, and hopefully, I can achieve good things,” he explained.
Crystal Palace
Signing for the Crystal Palace feels nice for Nketiah as he enjoys the love and support the fans have given.
“It’s just nice to be around here, obviously, I’m really familiar with the area. Some of my friends are a bit closer now, so they can come to the games more frequently.
“I really resonate with the support and the love that the fans have given, and obviously, the passion and mentality of a South Londoner — to work hard for what you’re given. It just feels nice to be back down this side of the river.”
Looking ahead, the Palace striker wants more playing time to make positive impact, and win trophies for the Oliver Glasner side as, and remain injury-free throughout the year.
“I want to play as many games as possible, contribute as much as possible, and hopefully win something with Crystal Palace —that’s the [goal]. We want to try and climb up the table as high as possible and compete in the cups that we’re in. For myself, I’d like to just have an injury-free year, where I’m able to progress and improve my game and get that consistency on and off the pitch — with the team and individually,” Nketiah added.
