Crystal Palace forward Eddie Nketiah isn’t just playing for himself he carries the hopes and dreams of generations every time he steps onto the pitch.
The Crystal Palace striker embraces the weight of his family’s legacy, knowing his name represents generations of aspirations.
Born in Lewisham to Ghanaian parents, Nketiah’s football journey began in south-east London with grassroots club Hillyfielders. Chelsea scouted him at nine, but by 2015, he faced rejection. Arsenal saw his potential, offering him a fresh start that led to his first-team debut in 2017. He made over 150 appearances for Arsenal, including a loan spell at Leeds United, where he contributed to their Championship-winning campaign. Nketiah made his England debut on October 13, 2023, as a 73rd-minute substitution in a 1-0 friendly win against Australia.
Now, as one of the Premier League’s promising strikers, Nketiah reflects on what his success means to his family.
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,” Nketiah told NBC Sports’ By Way of Africa series.
“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,” he added.
