FC Inter’s Djoully Nzoko, 16, is playing his first season at the senior level. The 16-year-old felt that Veikkausliiga develops more than playing with peers abroad.
Kamilla Rajander,
Hinn Hirvonen
shows on Friday 16.8. Veikkausliiga match Inter–SJK. The live broadcast on Areena and TV2 starts at 6 p.m.
The matches of the football Veikkausliiga round played on Friday, June 7 must have been regular regular season matches for many players. But for at least one person from Turku, the evening in Lahti was special.
The actual game time had already progressed to the penultimate minute of the game, when FC Inter’s winger cut off his opponent’s attempt to break down. Moments later, his handsome long-range shot hit the net and the Turku team’s victory was sealed.
The person from Turku in question was only 16 years old Djoully Nzoko. The youngster, who played in the second league match of his career, had entered the field ten minutes earlier before that goal, the first of his league career.
– The opponent cleared the ball. It came to me, I took the tat and walked a little. Then I saw that for a moment, should I pull from this, Nzoko times the situation before the debut goal two months later.
Inter led the match by one goal and Nzoko thought that the team should calm down.
– Then I saw the goal and had to pull.
Since then, the net has swung again. Nzoko has made it to the field in ten of Inter’s 19 league matches. A total of 421 playing minutes have been accumulated, number four is handsome in the goal column.
Learn about street football
Nzoko’s love for playing football started as a little boy. In his childhood home in Vaala, Turku, his favorite pastime was playing street football with his friends.
– That’s where I developed, and that’s also where I got my skills.
At the age of seven, he started playing in the juniors of Turku Palloseura. A couple of years later, the club changed from TPS to Inter, inspired by the team’s coach.
Already in those days, the dream of playing football as a professional was burning in the mind of his role models, such as the Brazilian Neymar’slike
– I was like I don’t want to do anything else. That when I’m an adult, I want to play soccer.
Nzoko remembers how excited he was as a child when he saw the players of Inter’s representative team. Especially the Inter legend Timo Furuholmin the excerpts made an impression. Now he himself is one of them, whom the juniors admire.
Earlier this week, Nzoko visited Lauste’s school in his hometown as part of a school game tour organized by Inter.
– It was a wonderful feeling that so many people actually know me and were excited to see me.
The attention also surprises.
– I’m quite a normal guy, though.
“I chose a better option”
FC Inter is currently three points away from a place in the championship, i.e. in the top six of the Veikkausliiga, with three games left in the regular season.
The personal goal of Nzoko, who turns 17 in October, this season is to play as well as possible and improve.
Big clubs asked Nzoko, who played in B-juniors 1, to go abroad already this season. The Finn found the alternatives attractive. In the horizontal cup, the opposites were games abroad with the owners or gaining experience in Finland at the adult level.
– I think I chose a better option to stay and play with the men. It’s better football and I develop more there.
Nzoko compares that, especially compared to B-juniors, the players are stronger and the game is faster.
– With men, I have to do every single thing to the fullest and really focus on it.
Nzoko feels that he has kept up well at the men’s level as well.
– It has gone quite well. Yes, I think I can do it.
The goal is to be the best in Finland
The native of Turku dreams of playing in one of the world’s top five leagues five years from now. Among the teams, Real Madrid, who plays in the Spanish La Liga, or Arsenal, who play in the English Premier League, would particularly interest him.
– I want to be the best soccer player in Finland. I want to go abroad and stay there as long as possible, Nzoko declares.
The youngster’s performances already in the first season in the adult league give indications that in a few years Nzoko may gain fame in Huuhkaj and play at the club level in one of the top foreign leagues.
Nzoko has been quoted several times in the media this summer and has been described as super promising. However, he himself does not take too much pressure.
– I feel confident that I can manage, and I know that I am a good player.
shows on Friday 16.8. Veikkausliiga match Inter–SJK. The live broadcast on Areena and TV2 starts at 6 p.m.