I LIVE FOR THE GAME - Illya Gideon
Gideon illya still ranks as the highest free kick expert in DFA alongside Samuel Chukwueze.
A year today zuma as he is called opened up to DiamondTv about his love and passion for the game
Below is a throw back of our interview with him a year ago.
It was an interesting day in the studio with Gideon illya as our guest throwing lights on his early life as a growing lad who loved football more than his plate of food. He brought us close to his life goals and personal life.
" Everyone here at the academy know me as Gideon illya, commonly called pirlo by some players and some too do call me names that i still don't even know. hahahahahahaha"
" But there is a particular name in which i am popularly known as back in Jos which is my home town. Everybody in Jos know me as ZUMA which is a name i grew up with since i was a kid"
" ZUMA is the reason behind why adebayor jacob do call me ZUMARANKING, i aquired the name in the street when i was playing street football."
" I started playing street football since i was 6 years old, back then it was called chosen. All we need to do is to choose between our friends, we made the rules of the game ourselves and we too do the officiating"
" Playing street football comes with so many downside like knee bruises, toe wounds among others because we usually play it with our bare foots. It was a very interesting experience and it created lots of skill especially for us to play injury free for weeks"
" Being the 7th child amidst nine siblings who are Douglas, Maxillina, Sangi, Paul, Patience, me, Gabriel, Mary and Henry gave me so much insight on being accommodating among my peers. Family has been everything to me that is why diamondfa was easy for me because it felt like home away from home."
" I have always loved set piece goals, watching likes of David Beckham and Juniho score set piece free kicks made me fall more in love with football."
" I too is going to create a spot for myself in scoring free kicks just like Christiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr. , Payet, Memphis Depay and Messi to mention but a few"
" Am sure of netting 96% of my free kicks having the other 4% determinant on the positions of the wall and goal keeper"
" Am looking forward to being the best midfielder in the world with the highest free kick goals"
" My football idol is Luka Modrić"
Today Gideon illya a CD portosantense midfielder climbing the ladder in becoming the idol he adores.
Gideon has netted 6 goals last season for CD portosantense with various assist but yet to score from a spot kick.
Proud Graduate illya Gideon "Zumaranking"
DFA loves you
