Most of the greatest Nigerian footballers in history had
their roots at the youth level – from where they rise
and develop into greatness.
Lateef Omidiji Jnr, a 13-year-old Nigerian based in
Las Vegas, US, hopes to tow that oft-travelled path of
legendary footballers.

The only difference between the Nigerian starlet and
youth stars of old is that he’s already quite known at
13. A quick Google search will unearth his impressive
exploits in the US and Holland – which has resulted in
several top European clubs seeking to sign him
In this interview with Omidiji, who is eligible
to play for Nigeria, US and Holland, speaks about his
career, education and his football ambition.

How does it feel to be in the international glare at your
age?

Being in the international glare at 13 going to be 14
years in September has zero impact on my work ethic.
I have played against some of the top academies in
Europe over the past two years and prior to that when
I was based in the United States, I played in
tournaments all across the country and played
summer tournaments in Europe so it is not new to me.
I’ve been playing in front of scouts from Europe’s elite
clubs for the past two years- from Real Madrid to
Chelsea to AC Milan. It certainly feels great to hear
compliments from them but the only thing that it does
to me is to work harder. I have a lot of good people
around me and a lot of mentors so I am focused.

Does your football career affect your education?

No way. I’m a straight A student. Actually, I have a
presidential award from President Obama for getting
good grades at school. I hang that proudly on my wall
and I am a competitive person period – school,
football, even playing snakes and ladder or PS4 with
my friends or family. School is number one priority,
everything else comes after. I want to be a
professional football player in a couple of years but my
father has always said that you can’t be a dummy off
the field and be smart on it. As a matter of fact, I have
never scored B in any class since I started school. I
hold myself to a high standard in everything I do and
playing for Feyenoord, I get the best of both worlds. I
will be attending one of the best schools in Rotterdam
while at the academy.

Which country will you choose between US or Nigeria
for your international career?

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) president
Amaju Pinnick and vice chairman Barrister Seyi
Akinwunmi have gone above and beyond. Barrister
Akinwunmi is in charge of youth football in Nigeria and
he is a visionary who loves youth football, look at what
he is doing with Eko football and the different youth
football tournaments from Channels to Coca-Cola.
They are looking at 2019 with plans to make sure
Nigeria not only qualifies but excels at the World Cup. I
won’t deny that I play with US youth national team
and they have gone above and beyond as well. I hear
from coaches within the organisation regularly
checking up on me seeing how I’m doing and letting
me know of future plans and with the NFF publicly
letting the world know that they hear what’s being said
in Europe about me and see that I can really play
football and I’m part of their future plans. That goes a
long way and makes the decision a hard one but we
are 2 years away from the U17 world cup and
Netherlands is also an option. But I’ll focus on
developing and we’ll see.
The love I get from the Nigerian public is immense but
I also get a lot of love from the American and Dutch
public so now is not the time for choosing, it’s time for
me keep working hard and see the plans from each
federation and how I fit into those plans and go from
there but I have to repeat that Barrister Akinwunmi
has been immense. He is the reason playing for
Nigeria is an option because of his approach and
vision. I would have been in Lagos this week for the
Lagos state celebration of Eko Football but it’s finals
week, couldn’t make it but I will definitely be at the
football house sometime this year.

How did your career begin and what influenced your
decision to start playing football?

I’ve been playing since I was 5, started at Rainbow
Youth Soccer League in Las Vegas and have always
played a year or 2 years ahead of my age because of
my speed so that I can develop technically and not
always rely on my speed. My influence is, of course,
my older sister Sophia- she is the best football player I
know male or female – I learn a lot from her. Las
Vegas also has a large Nigerian community who are all
football fans and the encouragement I got from them
and still get from them always motivated me but I just
love being out there competing, using my skills to help
my team win.

How did you join FC Feyenoord?

Anyone that follows European football knows that
Feyenoord is a Dutch institution so getting an
opportunity to play for them is a blessing but they
scouted me along with Ajax and PSV and the other top
clubs in the Netherlands but I chose Feyenoord
because I felt I could learn here. They know my
strengths and weaknesses and told me that they can
make me a world class player and from the first
training there, I got better because the training here is
top notch and the way they have their academy
structured, you are being prepared for the first team. I
was previously playing at FC Dordrecht whom I’m
grateful to because I had a chance to learn the Dutch
style of play, learned the language in three months and
learned how to play four different positions. When I
arrived at Dordrecht, I was only playing as number 9,
when I left Dordrecht, I can play right wing, left wing,
number 10 and my traditional role of number 9.

Your mates are older than you and bigger in size, does
this intimidate you?

Size means nothing in football. If it did, Messi wouldn’t
be the best player in football and Maradona wouldn’t
be one of the best player ever and Jorge Campo of
Mexico wouldn’t be one of the best goalkeepers ever.
Eden Hazard wouldn’t be one of the best players in the
world and the list goes on. Football is all about
technique, tactic and that’s what the Dutch are all
about. Nothing intimidates you on the football pitch if
you have good technique. The old thinking that a big
player is a small player has been exposed to be false
over the past couple of years. I have always played
two years up in age because my speed has always
been too much for kids my age so playing up allowed
me to develop my technique, develop strength and
besides, I have Lagos blood running through me-
nothing intimidates me. I love contact, I turn into half
Diego Costa half Pepe when I’m on the pitch – a bit
like a pit bull – never scared. I’m used to being the
youngest on my teams but I’m also usually the most
talented technically wise.

Which Nigerian football icons would you love to be
like?

It’s like trying to pick between M.I, J-Cole and
Kendrick or trying to pick between Tim McGraw and
Kenny Chesney or trying to pick between Jahmiel and
Vershon. It’s hard because I love them all; one of the
greatest ever Rasheed Yekini (whom my baby brother
is named after), my dad shows me clips of him, and I
love Jay Jay – he is our own Maradona, Ronaldinho
and any great number 10 rolled in one. Of course I also
like uncle Kanu Nwankwo who has been very
supportive of me, he has been very encouraging telling
me to keep doing what I’m doing that the sky is the
limit.
With the current players, of course, Kelechi Iheanacho,
he’s an inspiration to me – I think the best young
player in the world – the statistics don’t lie. Victor
Moses, Ahmed Musa are incredible and Alex Iwobi, of
course, is an amazing player and I only mention
attackers because I’m an attacker. At the end of the
day, I want to be me because that’s all I can be but I
look up to and admire them but know I have a long
way and a lot of work to do to get there. These group
of players I believe can win the World Cup and any
country should be scared to get on the pitch with
them.
Do you monitor some of the present Nigerian national
team players?

Yes, I know some of them, I had an opportunity to
meet a few of them in Luxembourg and they are all
down to earth. I talk to Troost because I’m in Holland
and he’s from there. He’s very humble, highly
inspirational and he is a beast. I met Kelechi, he’s
humble and one of the most down to earth players on
that team is Ogenyi Onazi. If I was a senior player,
he’s one that I’d want to be on the same team with
because he lifts the spirits. I’ve also met Kenneth
Omeruo. I talk to some of them, and some would just
randomly send me messages – how are you doing
little brother, keep your focus. I would love to meet
more current and ex-players because mentors are
important in sport. People who have been through the
path you’re about to go through.

When did you realise you have extraordinary talent in
football?

The only thing extraordinary is God. I’m just a youth
who loves football, works hard every day to be better
and by the special grace of God blessed that people
whose job it is to judge talent see my potential and
say that with continued development, I can be a
special player. I’m far from where I want to be. When I
lift a U17, U20 and senior world cup and win the Balon
D’Or a couple of times, then I can start to think okay,
I’m getting there but my goal is far from being met and
only God is extraordinary. When I win my first World
Cup, then I will come to Lagos, go to Brilla FM and
sing I’ma big deal by Chris Martin live on air. Until
then, it is work till I get there.

How much influence was Danladi Nasidi to you?

He came to Las Vegas when I as 10 and watched me
play and immediately said that when the U13/U15
national team resumes I have a spot there. This was
way before I was called up to the US national team.

I’m grateful to him because he saw the potential. He’s
a smart coach with years of experience in our national
team. He is very supportive and encouraging.

How do your parents feel about your football career?

I’m blessed to have supportive parents. They keep you
grounded and are the ones there when you have bad
days. The unconditional love they give me and my
siblings – we’re lucky. The life lessons we get from
them – we are truly blessed.

TheCable