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.”
To those who know him best, Minteh’s potential was evident from his early performances.
“Anyone who [saw] him could know that he will make it in football,” youth coach Abdou Touray told BBC Sport Africa.
“He’s a natural talent. The mindset was there, the skills were there.”
According to Touray, his rise to become one of the emerging stars in the Premier League is down to dedication and perseverance.
“He was very passionate about football.
“He will come before you [to training] and he will never want training to stop. That’s why I love him so much.”
Facilities have improved at Bakoteh now, with an enhanced academy set-up and better kit and footballs available.
“They want everybody to be like me,” Minteh said.
“I know that’s impossible – but those who are lucky could be more than me.”
The third of seven children, Minteh lived alongside his family in a rented apartment – squeezed in beside each other when sleeping.
He idolised Lionel Messi while growing up, but his mother Jassey, a market vendor, did not share her talented son’s excitement.
“He would name all the famous footballers and their jersey number,” Jassey told BBC Sport Africa.
“I would tell him ‘Yankuba, will you stop disturbing us with these names’.”
Education also caused tension at home.
“Yankuba never wanted [to go to] school,” his father Buhari said.
“All he loved was football. That was why he always had issues with his mum, because she badly wanted him to be educated.”
However, Buhari, a chef, was more supportive.
“I made his mum understand that if Yankuba really doesn’t want to go to school, we should just support him,” he explained.
“Many people saw potential in him. He would put smiles on our faces, and I was constantly reminded to protect and guide him.
“I used to encourage him to stay serious in his football career.”
Minteh would give the majority of any money he earned from local games to his mother.
He played top-flight football in his homeland with Steve Biko, a club named after the South African anti-apartheid activist, before eventually securing a deal at Danish club Odense.
A move to Newcastle followed in 2023 but he was immediately sent out on loan to Feyenoord, where he played under now-Liverpool boss Arne Slot.
Last year he joined Brighton, and his success has allowed him to transform his family’s living situation, having relocated them to a well-furnished three-bedroom bungalow.
“So many good things are happening to me and I’d say it’s because of Yankuba,” Jassey said.
“We used to be at a place where we sleep on the floor with little space, and now everyone has their own room, sleeping on a bed that’s comfortable. Every parent prays that their children take them out of struggles.”
One of Minteh’s Gambia shirts from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations hangs on a wall alongside pictures of him in action, while shelves are lined with some of his individual awards.
While visiting, Minteh enjoyed a traditional mealtime with his family, sitting in a circle as they all dug their hands into one communal rice bowl.
Minteh rated his debut campaign with Brighton – one in which he netted six goals in 32 league appearances – as “successful”, even if the side missed out on a place in European competition.
That goal tally was only bettered by Karou Mitoma, Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck, and he attributes his achievements to Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler.
“He is somebody who plays a big role in my life and I am really thankful,” Minteh said.
“I always try to joke with him because he is a funny guy and he tries to make a bond with every player.
“It doesn’t matter if you are young or from the academy – [if] you are a good player and he knows you have the talent, he always tries to help you achieve your dream.”
Minteh has become an idol in The Gambia, and several youths were seen wearing Brighton shirts during BBC Sport Africa’s time in Bakoteh.
Minteh revealed that watching videos of Argentina legend Messi helped him to unlock his potential as an attacking player.
“I fell in love with him.
“He has [had] a big influence in my career since I was young. He is the one I look up to and learn a lot from.”
His game has even brought comparisons with the former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain star.
“Anywhere he goes you hear ‘Messi Bakoteh, Messi Bakoteh’ because that’s how he used to play,” youth coach Touray explained.
Meanwhile, it is Sadio Mane whom Minteh calls his “African football hero.”
The forward hopes to emulate the “down to earth” personality of the Senegal star, admiring his humility and philanthropy, which includes several charitable works in his hometown of Bambali.
“I love his personal life. He’s doing everything for Senegal,” Minteh said.
“You can see how he is changing [his] village, which I am also hoping I can do.”