The soccer journey of Nicolas Jackson has been nothing, but a miracle. From his small village in Senegal to playing the biggest teams in the world, in state-of-the-art stadiums. The journey of Jackson has been inspiring. He has kept his chin up even during adversities, and this has transformed Jackson into one of the hottest talents in the world.
6 years ago we were playing barefoot in Ziguinchor, Senegal. today we are scoring hattricks in the greatest football league in the world.
Nicolas Jackson, what a story đđ pic.twitter.com/lE6Fnbfo7b
â Dean (@DeanCFC_) November 24, 2023
In an interview with The Telegraph, the Senegalese talked about his soccer journey. He pointed out the lack of basic soccer amenities in growing up age, and his mother’s contribution in his rise to the heights of the soccer world. He also took the name of a big personality, who according to Jackson has inspired him a lot.
Nicolas Jackson talks about his journey and taking inspiration from Cristiano Ronaldo
Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been an inspiration for many youngsters. His discipline and elite mentality make him a role model for many. These traits of his have motivated players like Nicolas Jackson to become an elite soccer.
đšNicolas Jackson: âWhen I was growing up, I loved Cristiano Ronaldo. I had his name on a shirt that I always wore.â
âNot an actual shirt because they are expensive⊠but I had a shirt that I put 7, Ronaldo on with a pen.â
âI did it myself when I was a kid. Of course, I would⊠pic.twitter.com/wgiLPTUi45
â CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) November 24, 2023
Nicolas Jackson offered his homage to his idol when he said this about Cristiano Ronaldo: “When I was growing up, I loved Cristiano Ronaldo. I had his name on a shirt that I always wore. Of course, I would pretend to be him, but it was difficult to watch his games because you needed to pay.”
The Chelsea striker added, “We would go to my friendâs house, everybody. We would watch in a large group, never just with one person in the house. All my friends, weâd all go to one house to watch Real Madrid.”
Jackson talks about an interesting story from his childhood, where he penned down the name of the Portuguese on a shirt that he bought when he was 7. However, he had to endure a lot of hardships to realize his soccer dreams.
Nicolas Jackson hit the ‘Siuu’ after securing his hat-trick đ„ pic.twitter.com/AEva5BvjeV
â GOAL (@goal) November 7, 2023
Jackson grew up, playing soccer with bare feet as he could not afford to buy soccer boots. He played bare feet until he turned 16 when his mother bought him a pair of second-hand boots. Indeed, his mother played a huge role in his soccer career,
Though it took time to adjust, playing in boots, he had to get used to it. This highlights the poor circumstances under which African soccer players have to train.
Jackson’s journey from La Liga to Premier League
Nicolas Jackson moved from La Liga side, Villareal CF to Chelsea FC in the summer of 2023 for a transfer fee of $38 million. His profile was perfect for Chelsea who wanted a pacey striker, up front. Jackson has had a good start to life in England. He has scored 6 goals in 12 appearances for Chelsea in the 2023/24 PL season, which includes a hattrick against Tottenham Hotspur.
4-1 Chelsea.
NICOLAS JACKSON SCORES A HATTRICK VS TOTTENHAM !!!!! pic.twitter.com/ULiqEoUDpo
â đđ đ đđđđ đ (@TheEuropeanLad) November 6, 2023
Jackson has been questioned because of his lack of clinical finishes in the box, as he has missed a lot of easy chances for Chelsea. However, it is his first season in English soccer, and he might need time to adapt to it.
Jackson’s goal account is decent and his goals come against big teams, such as Tottenham and Man City. If the Senegalese scales the heights, that he has shown the potential for, then his story may just have a perfect Hollywood film ending.