Calvin Bassey, a Nigerian and Fulham player, was only 6 years old when his father abandoned his mom and his three other brothers in Italy, where he was born. His mother had to move to the United Kingdom (UK) with her four sons, settling in one of the roughest parts of London called “Newham,” a place Bassey said at the time was like a “War Zone.”.

Kids were being stabbed and killed due to gang violence, and Bassey lost two of his mates during that period, with one shot dead. It was a “deadly” area at the time. There were only two ways to survive: either you end up in a gang or you play football. Calvin Bassey chose to play the beautiful game of football, but things only got worse. As a teenager, no club wanted him; he went to trials at Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Wolves, Leyton Orient, Charlton Athletic, and Barnet, and all these clubs said no to him.

Leyton Orient and Charlton Athletic rejected him twice, but the rejection of Charlton was the one that hit him the most, as he spent time doing trials at the club not just once but twice, and both times the club rejected him. He felt that if a club could reject me twice, it meant he wasn’t really good enough.

He thought of giving up on his dream of playing football professionally but decided to give it one final push. He said to himself, “I’m going all out, and if I don’t get a club, I’m quitting,” and that was when he got a “do-or-die” trial at Leicester City.

Bassey was playing as a left-back, and 13 left-backs had already done trials before him and got rejected, so he felt he stood no chance at all. He felt he stood no chance; he just played with freedom and had fun, and that was what got him signed to Leicester City at the age of 15.

Imagine the mental strength of a teenager who got rejected by six clubs and yet kept going. That’s an elite mentality. He couldn’t believe he was signed, and he went late to school that morning. His teachers got angry, asking him why he was late. He told them he was getting signed by Leicester, but they doubted him until he showed them pictures, and they started clapping for him.

He moved from Leicester City’s Under 18s to the Under 23s but couldn’t break into the first team, but Steven Gerrard signed him for Rangers in 2020. Within five months of signing his first professional contract, he moved his mom and brothers out of Newham.

His Rangers career didn’t start well, as he wasn’t a regular under Steven Gerrard, but like always he kept working hard. When Gerrard left for Aston Villa and Giovani took over, he started playing Bassey moving him from left back to Centre back and he became one of the best young defenders in Europe. He became Rangers’ most expensive sale when they sold him to European giants, Ajax for a club record fee of £20 million in 2022 just after 2 years.

He got to Ajax and in his first match got a direct red card after coming on for just 15 minutes. He didn’t have the best of time in Ajax as he played 25 games for the club and they still managed to sell him to Fulham for the same amount they bought him, £20 million.

In Fulham, he has become one of the key players and defenders for Silva and he’s proving why he’s elite every single game.

On Thursday, January 18, during the African Cup of Nations 2023 group stage match, the Super Eagles of Nigeria played against Ivory Coast. Calvin Bassey, playing first as the left-sided center Back in a back three and later as the left fullback, he was Nigeria’s best defender alongside Ola Aina, earning him the nickname “Minister of Defence.”

Frequently Asked Questions about Calvin Bassey

• What is Calvin Bassey’s full name? Calvin Bassey Ughelumba
• Which country is Calvin Bassey from? Born in Aosta, Italy, he moved to London and is a citizen of Nigeria and Italy. He is currently playing for the Nigerian national team.
• Where is Calvin Bassey from in Nigeria? He is from Umunnamehi, Ihiala local government in Anambra State, Nigeria.
• What tribe is Calvin Bassey? He is Igbo, a tribe from the eastern part of Nigeria.
• How old is Calvin Bassey? He was born on December 31, 1999, and he is 24 years old.
• How much did Fulham pay for Bassey? The premier league club signed a 22.5m euros (£19.3m) deal for the Nigerian defender. The agreement ends in the summer of 2027, with a club option to extend by a further year.
• Does Calvin Bassey have a brother?  Matthew Bassey, an English rapper also known as Y.C.B. who makes music under the gang and UK drill group 7th, is Calvin Bassey’s brother. He has a total of three brothers. Elvis and Michael Bassey are his other brother names.
• Who is Calvin Bassey’s father? Calvin’s father’s name is Kingsley Ikenna Ughelumba
• Who is Calvin Bassey’s mother, and where is she from? His mother’s name is Ebere Bassey Etim, from Akwa Ibom state
• Is Calvin Bassey left-footed? Yes, he is left-footed and looks far more comfortable on his favored side with his high work rates.
• How tall is Calvin Bassey? 1.85 meters (6 feet) tall
• Did Calvin Bassey play for Leicester? Yes, Bassey joined the Leicester Academy in 2015 before joining Rangers in the summer of 2020.
• How much is Calvin Bassey’s net worth? $3 million US dollars
• How much is Bassey paid at Fulham per week? £47,000 per week
• Calvin Bassey’s social media accounts: Instagram handle is @cbasseyy, his Twitter handle is @CalvinBassey, and his Facebook name is Calvin Bassey.

Article source: SportsDokita (Odogwu); Email: SportsDokita@gmail.com

Published and modified by: Ndaman Joshua Olayinka, Editor, Yinksmedia