Yankuba Minteh: The Brighton star forged on a sandy Gambian pitch

Yankuba Minteh’s talents have taken him all the way to the Premier League but it was on a sandy pitch in Bakoteh, West Africa, where he honed his skills.

And while his mother did not approve of how much time Minteh, now 21, spent playing football in The Gambia, the future Brighton & Hove Albion winger was driven by the desire to improve his family’s fortunes.

Five years ago he took the decision to leave his parents, six siblings and friends to chase his dream in Europe.

“I wanted to change their life and take them out of poverty,” Minteh told BBC Sport Africa.

“I faced lot of challenges because there was no support [when] I was starting. At 16, leaving alone is not something which anyone wants to do.

“All that sacrifice pays off.”

Minteh returned to his roots in Serrekunda, the largest city in The Gambia and south-west of the capital Banjul, after helping Brighton to an eighth-place finish last season.

He visited the same sandy surface where he played his early games, located just three kilometres from Atlantic Ocean beaches and where all the teams in the district are based.

Around 50 young men and boys were training there on a humid Wednesday evening, and Minteh took part in sessions with a team from the Bakoteh United Football Academy.

“This is where everything started,” he said while proudly wearing his Albion training kit.

“It is because of this pitch I am who I am right now. Coming back to where you started is always a pleasure.”