Announcing his World Cup squad on Thursday, Roberto Martínez decided to include Everton’s Amadou Onana.
This is a great moment for the young midfielder, whose form for the Toffees since arriving in a big transfer from Lille gave him a chance to head to Qatar, and while he wasn’t one of the guarantees, there was a big media drive to get him in there.
Martínez listened, and clearly was impressed by what the Everton star can offer on the pitch, and decided it was worth including him.
Following the list, RTBF decided to ask the player a few questions about the road that got him there, as he will get a chance to represent his country on the biggest of footballing stages.
Asked what he was doing when he learned about it, he added: “I was on the pitch. I asked the manager if he had his phone, and then, once I got to the dressing room, I opened my phone and saw hundreds of messages. I immediately understood.”
Onana explained his family are ‘very proud’ of him: “It gives me chills, to be honest. It’s a joyful moment for my whole family. I don’t have the words.”
As for his sister, who also happens to work as his agent, she is ‘very, very, very, very proud’ of him, and with all the sacrifices she has made for him to help him get where he is, at Everton and in the Belgium squad, he said: “It’s a reward for her too.”
Since arriving in a €35m transfer from Lille, Onana has made 14 appearances for the Goodison Park side, assisting the one goal.
