Samuel Chukwueze: My mom still wants me to study!

Milan's Samuel Chukwueze (L) gets closer to the goal during the first half of a match between Manchester City and Milan at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York, New York, USA, 27 July 2024. EPA/SARAH YENESEL

by Staff Reporter

Saturday Aug 10, 2024. 10:44

Nigerian international Samuel Chukwueze has revealed that his mother still wants him to further his education, despite the success he has enjoyed in football.

The 25-year-old is currently on the books of Italian giants AC Milan and has enjoyed an excellent career thus far, including his breakthrough spell at Spanish side Villarreal and an international record which has seen him rack up over 30 caps for the Super Eagles and play at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

Despite this, Chukwueze’s mother would still like to see him study in the medicine or pharmacy field.

“My mom did not want me to play football. In Africa, everyone focuses on school, and she used to say football will never make you money,” Chukwueze is quoted by Football Italia.

“But I was born with football inside me. I would play until seven in the evening, and when I came home, she would punish me. She would take my football shoes and confiscate them, so I had to hide them.

“The problem was she always found them. Once, she burned my shoes and shirts and told me, ‘Samuel, you need to focus on your studies.’ I tried, but a part of me was switched off.”

The Super Eagles winger added, “The funny thing is, in Africa, you don’t change your mind. She still wants me to study, wants me to be a doctor, maybe a doctor in football.

“I wanted to be a lawyer, but she said, ‘No, no, doctor. You need to study pharmacy.’”

Chukwueze has been in outstanding form in preseason for Milan and will hope to carry that form into their first Serie A match next weekend, at home to Torino on August 17.