From the moment Chukwunonso Madueke, known as Noni, woke up each day, one thing dominated his thoughts: football.
Born to Nigerian parents who moved to England as children, Noni was just four years old when he developed his passion for the game.
“I always had a crazy love for football,” he says.
“I was obsessed. I’d play by myself constantly, running around, kicking the ball against walls, or shooting against the wall in my backyard or on the street.”
“At school, it wasn’t just about fun. I wanted to win. I was the best player at school, but it’s only when you join an academy that you really understand how good you are.”
“My whole family loves football,” he adds. “My dad’s a Man United fan, and my brother supports Chelsea, so there was always a bit of rivalry at home! It was fun.”
Noni grew up in High Barnet, on the outskirts of Greater London. His parents made sure to take him to Nigeria annually to spend time with extended family.
“My parents came to England as kids, went to school here, and met here. They’ve got strong values and good morals. They made sure I grew up with the same mindset,” he says.
“I always loved visiting Nigeria. We’d fly into Lagos, then take a boat to Banana Island or Lekki Phase 1. It was always a great time.”
Back in England, Noni’s football skills were becoming increasingly noticeable. He joined his first grassroots team, King George FC, at the age of eight, and soon enough, his talent was spotted.
“I was playing at a tournament when a Crystal Palace scout named Steve Neal approached my dad,” Noni recalls. “I was like, ‘What’s going on here?!’ He handed me a card, and I just held onto it, looking at it every day. I’d show it to my friends at school.”
“I went to Palace for two weeks, and then I signed.”
Noni’s father drove him across London three times a week for training and to games on Saturdays. The long trips eventually led to him joining Tottenham’s academy at the Under-13 level, much closer to home.
“Palace was one of the best academies in England, and it helped shape my early years,” he says. “Spurs also gave me valuable experience, and those years set me up well for professional football at PSV.”
Before heading to the Netherlands, Noni breezed through his GCSEs, earning several As and A*s.
“Honestly, primary and secondary school were easy for me,” he laughs. “I focused in class, but my mind was always on football.”
“My favorite subject was probably English literature. I loved reading books; I’ve always found reading fascinating since I was young.”
Noni made his England debut in September.
Never one to shy away from new challenges, Noni chose to sign his first professional contract with PSV Eindhoven, despite offers from top English clubs.
“I wanted to play in the first team as soon as possible,” he reflects, six and a half years later. “PSV seemed like the best path for me to do that.”
“Signing the contract felt amazing, but I was still only 16, so I had to spend another year or so in the youth teams. It was all about signing the contract and getting to work to play for the first team.”
“At that age, just playing football every day is a dream. It didn’t matter where I was. My mum came with me for the first couple of years. It wasn’t much of a cultural shock, especially since most people in the Netherlands speak English. The transition was pretty smooth.”
Noni, at 18, was already playing for PSV’s first team.
Off the pitch, Noni settled into life in the Netherlands with ease. However, he faced a challenge in his second season after making his debut for PSV’s first team.
“I’d never had injuries before, so I didn’t really know what that felt like,” he says.
