Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has revealed the selflessness and sacrifices of his father on his route to the top level of professional football. Zaha spoke about how his love for the love for the game is one he shares with his father.
Wilfried Zaha said “The main person who followed me around every single day was my dad. He took me to training through snow, through rain. My dad loved football as well but he knew how much I loved football so, even if he had to take me to training in a banger – the cars we used to go to training in is crazy. We used to break down, push the cars. My dad’s like 70 – so he was doing it when he was old. But it was: ‘I know how much he loves it, so I’ll do whatever.’”
The support of a loving family can only get you so far, though. Elite mentality has become a buzz phrase in recent times for the hunger required to be one of the very best in a killer environment like professional football. And for Zaha, his dedication is the product of a football-or-bust mindset – a perception that failing to make it as a professional was essential with limited opportunities for success through other avenues of work.
Wilfried Zaha said “Football was my number one goal. Then just growing up where I was, there weren’t that many opportunities and it made me even more fixated on accomplishing my dream. It pushed me even more. When your mindset is always that goal, I don’t think you can fail because I lived, breathed, ate football. There was nothing else. I feel like there’s no way you can fail if that’s all you think about constantly and that’s all you practice. There’s no way. When I speak to people, give advice to younger footballers, it’s just like: ‘When that’s all you think about – when you go to sleep it’s football, wake up and it’s football – there’s no way you can fail. That’s your number one goal.’ Are you willing to sacrifice these parties and so many different things? I missed so many parties and I used to think: ‘Oh my God, that’s the party of the year.’ As you grow up you realise there’s a party every other day, but these opportunities for you to reach your goal don’t come every day. I never had a day where I thought I don’t fancy it. No matter what. It’s football – the love I have for football is unbelievable so there was never a time where I’d look outside, even if it’s raining, whatever, it don’t make a difference. I just had to get there and do what I have to do.”
Zaha’s South London roots are swiftly becoming recognised as a breeding ground for gifted footballers. Jadon Sancho, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Eberichi Eze, Aaron Wan-Bissaka – the list goes on, and Zaha believes is no coincidence that so many South Londonders are making their mark at the top level.
Wilfried Zaha said “In South London there are so many places – so many caged places – where you go and you have to use skills to get out of so many situations. So I feel like that’s what made me the footballer I am today. There’s so much talent, so much talent in South London and everyone’s starting to discover it more and more. Being from South London, I’m very proud.”
The winger, born in the Ivory Coast and raised in South London, cites his dad Tiendé as a huge influence in his career due to his commitment to giving his son every chance of fulfilling his potential. Wealth may not have been a privilege for the Zaha family, but the 27-year-old did feel the riches of having a dedicated family behind him.
