Yesterday we reported that Tottenham Hotspur confirmed the signature of Yves Bissouma from counterpart club Brighton. The 25-year-old defensive midfielder when granted an interview on Tottenham Hotspur TV, shared his story and his voyage to success is quite inspiring.
The former Brighton midfielder disclosed in his interview the difficulties faced as an African child who had a passion to play football but had his dream threatened during his childhood stage.
“I’m very happy to be here, happy to be a Spurs player and hopefully we’re going to have a good season,” Yves told us in our exclusive first interview. I’m going to give everything to try to win every game, to stay at the top. But, as everyone knows, the Premier League is not easy. We’re going to work hard to keep the ambition high.
“We have a good group, and a great coach, everyone knows him. I know I can pass this step with him. I know he will help me more to be what I want to be and try to help the team as well. I’m very happy to play with him.
“It’s my dream to play in the Champions League. I remember when I was younger, I watched the Champions League every day. I can’t believe (I’m going) to play the Champions League with the Spurs. I’m so happy, I just want to say thank you to my mum, my dad and my agent here, thank you, everyone, thank you to Spurs as well.”
The midfielder further recounts how his mum and dad assisted him to reach the climax he has attained today. He said growing from Africa as a child with big dreams was not easy.
“I was born in Ivory Coast, in my dad’s village,” he explained. “When I was young football was my life. I wanted to play football every day, every moment. If I don’t play football, I’m not happy. To be a professional footballer, to be at Spurs, a big club, when I remember 11, 12 years ago… it gives me some sensations… my mum, my dad, they helped me a lot.
“It was hard. In Africa, we don’t have the opportunities like here. For example, when I was younger, my dad, and my mum, just worked to help us, but if you want to play football, they don’t have the money to buy a ball or shoes. We just played on the street with friends, with no shoes. But we enjoyed this moment, I was young, my friends as well. It’s one part of my life. I was happy. I’ve come so far, from Issia to Spurs, Champions League music… imagine. The emotion is too much.”
