Africans have a memorable love story with football. Many iconic players from the continent have risen to prominence and made significant impacts on the beautiful game. The entertainment, clutch performances, and history-defining moments have brought immense joy to Africans across different decades. In the first installment of this biweekly series, we’ll highlight emerging talents from the continent to watch in the coming years. The star of this inaugural feature is Bayer Leverkusen’s Nathan Tella.
Nathan Adewale Temitayo Tella was born on the 5th of July 1999 in Lambeth, England to Nigerian parents.
A product of Arsenal’s famed Hale End academy, he moved on after spending approximately ten years at Arsenal to pursue his lifelong dreams of becoming a professional footballer. He proceeded to Reading & Norwich City for unsuccessful trial spells before subsequently signing for Southampton FC in April 2017.
He had to wait for three years to make his senior debut, coming on as a substitute against Norwich City in a premier league match. The match ended in a three nil victory for The Saints. He was rewarded with his first PL start in February 2021. He scored his first senior career goal in May 2021 against Fulham FC. The start of something special!
Failing to make the team on a consistent basis at Southampton, he was loaned to Burnley FC in the championship at the start of the 2022/2023 season. He managed to nail a spot in the Starting XI and he was an ever present character in the team as they romped their way to top of the championship table in style. He produced a career best tally of seventeen league goals at Burnley, scoring his first and second career hat tricks within a two-month period.
He picked up His first career trophy at the end of the season as Burnley were crowned champions of the EFL championship. He was also included in the PFA & EFL championship teams of the year & season respectively.
His exceptional performances caught the attention of a number of top sides in Europe with Bayer Leverkusen ultimately securing his services on a permanent deal from Southampton following his loan spell at Burnley for a reported £20 million fee. A valuable addition to the German side, joining his compatriot Victor Boniface at the club.
He made his debut for Leverkusen on the 2nd of September 2023 coming on as a substitute for Jeremie Frimpong. He got off the mark for Bayer Leverkusen in a Europa league fixture against Molde. He finished the season on a strong note, recording 6 goals and 3 assists in 39 appearances across all competitions in his debut season in the Bundesliga.
An attacking midfielder or right winger by trade, he has been deployed across a number of positions for Leverkusen this season. He is blessed with blistering pace and he has a good dribbling ability. The flicks and the tricks are always evident whenever he is with the ball with a wide smile plastered on his face. Standing at 1.73 m (5 ft 8), his height provides an advantage to him when he is trying to evade markers. Tella excels at making late runs in behind the opposition defence, ghosting in to tap the ball into the net. He has an immeasurable work rate, always pressing relentlessly from the front and running back to aid the fullbacks and defenders. He dons the no 19 jersey at Leverkusen.
Tella has double nationality and was eligible to England or Nigeria. He opted for the latter though, citing a strong desire to don the Super Eagles jersey on the international stage. He was called up by former head coach of the Nigerian team, Jose Peseiro. He made his debut for the Super Eagles on the 19th of November, 2023 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier match against Zimbabwe.Â
Nathan Tella is a player to look out for in the coming years. He has put in strong performances across several positions this season. He is a member of the Leverkusen team that went on a legendary 51-game unbeaten run in all competitions, narrowly missing out on an historic unbeaten treble by the brilliance of one man. He picked up Bundesliga and DFB Pokal winner’s medals in his debut season in the German league, as a member of the Leverkusen team that ended Bayern Munich’s monopoly of the league, becoming the first German team to go unbeaten domestically in a season. One for the history books!
A fan favourite wherever he goes, he has shown great desire and determination in his football career. A team player who is always willing to sacrifice himself for the team’s glory, he is always a vital addition to his team. The sky could very well be the limit for this young man.
