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The international break is here, but with Showmax Premier League Pulse, we’re still bringing you the best in player interviews.
This week, we have an exclusive and insightful chat with Brighton & Hove’s African star, Yankuba Minteh.
Get ready to dive into his journey through the Premier League, and discover a personal glimpse into his deep connection with his home country, Gambia.
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Being humble is one of the most important qualities for any footballer. And Brighton & Hove Albion’s African star Yankuba Minteh doesn’t seem short of any.
Within minutes of chatting to the Gambian star, it’s clear that remaining humble and grounded is one of the most important aspects for him as a footballer and human being. He says he models himself around African footballers such as Sadio Mane, N’Golo Kante, and Mohamed Salah, as they are the perfect examples both on and off the pitch.
“Sadio Mane has always been the person I have looked up to,” Minteh tells Showmax. “The way he lives his life, the way he has moved and grown his career at some of the biggest clubs in the world is inspiring. But it’s not just him. N’Golo Kante is a humble guy who I look up to, just like Mohamed Salah. I have a couple of them who I look up to, the way they live their lives and perform on the pitch.”
His role model, Sadio Mane, has had a remarkable career thus far, particularly in England, where he won the UEFA Champions League and English Premier League with Liverpool.
But it’s not just his on-field antics that Minteh is inspired by, but rather the Senegalese’s off-the-field actions that have inspired Minteh to be the best version of himself.
Mane has donated millions to his home country in charity and has even built a hospital in his hometown. This is just one of the many things that he has done off the field.
And Minteh is determined to do the same by delivering success both on and off the field. He has already enjoyed a blistering start to his career at Brighton & Hove Albion, becoming one of the most pivotal players in the team.
Yankuba Minteh of Brighton & Hove Albion. Credit: Getty Images/ Showmax Premier League
Most recently, Minteh has been nominated for the PFA Player of the Month for February for his remarkable performances in the past month.
The 20-year-old winger played an important role in Albion winning three of their four Premier League games last month, as well as beating Chelsea in the Emirates FA Cup.
Notable moments include a brace in their 3-0 league win over Chelsea, as well as setting up Georginio Rutter for their second goal in the 4-0 win over Southampton.
In total, he has scored five goals and assisted three in 22 Premier League appearances.
While Minteh is delighted by his recent form, he knows that there is a lot to still come from him. “I wouldn’t say my time at Brighton has been perfect, but I am trying to adapt to the system bit by bit, and learn from the players in front of me.
“The manager has also never demanded anything from me. He told me he knows I am young. All he wants from me is to work hard and to give my all and that is what I am doing.”
Yankuba Minteh of Brighton & Hove Albion. Credit: Getty Images/ Showmax Premier League
Minteh, who hails from Banjul in Gambia, is only the second Gambian to ever play in the Premier League, with Modou Barrow the first Gambian to grace the Premier League with his stint at Swansea City.
Minteh says the Premier League is the most followed football league in Gambia. “The league is huge. Really, really big,” he says. “I think they see it as the best football league in the world. if you play in the Premier League you are no longer seen as a small player, they see you as a legend, because we don’t have many Gambians playing in the Premier League. At the moment, I think I am the only Gambian to be playing in the Premier League, and before me there was only one other player, so if you play in the Premier League, everyone has respect for you.”
He says the league has also further grown in Gambia since he joined the Premier League.
Minteh played for Newcastle before making the permanent move to the Seagulls. “The whole country watches the Premier League now. Before they were also watching, but they didn’t support Brighton. But now we have a huge support for Brighton in my country. Sometimes I get calls from home from friends who tell me that my jersey is very popular at home. Everyone supports Brighton when we play and that’s a really good feeling.”
However, Minteh has yet to witness the support in Gambia in the flesh since joining Brighton, as his busy schedule has kept him away .
“Since signing for Brighton, I haven’t been home, but when I was at Feyenoord, and went home, a lot of people had my jersey on, which was such a nice feeling. Everywhere I went, people asked me for photos. But I do know that when I go back home now, it will be a lot more difficult, and I won’t have any peace from the fans. But I love that, spending time with fans is great. It’s what keeps you motivated.”
Minteh has been playing his football in Europe for the last four years now, having left the African continent at the tender age of 16. Though not easy, Minteh has made great strides in his career.
“European life is quite difficult. I lived in Africa my whole life, and then to leave at the age of 16 was really hard. I left without my parents so you can only imagine how tough it was. I tried my hardest to adapt to the system. Now I am in England, and it’s a new world and I am trying to adapt to the system here too.
“Leaving Africa all alone is a bit scary. I wasn’t with my parents, which made it very difficult for me. But I tried to put it in my head that it was important for me to learn to stand on my own. I left the country to make my family and country proud and so I have to learn to stand on my own two feet.”
Yankuba Minteh of Brighton & Hove Albion. Credit: Getty Images/ Showmax Premier League
While tough, Minteh says he is proud of what he has achieved since leaving Gambia.
“I think I am proud of myself. I was able to change my whole family’s life and situation, and so I feel happy about that. My parents say they are proud of me, and that motivates me to work harder.”
While Minteh has grown into one Africa’s biggest stars in Europe, he does admit he misses home plenty. “I miss so much about home, like sitting with my friends and talking about football. Playing football with them, going to the beach with them, chilling with my family. I really miss all of that.”
When it comes to food, Minteh says he is blessed. His mom cooks him all the Gambian food he craves. “I eat at home most of the time. Mom makes dishes at home that are really good, so I get all the Gambian food I want. If I do go out, I go and eat Afra, which is Gambian street food.”
Asked which teammate he consider his best friend, Minteh says he doesn’t have any best friends at the club. “I wouldn’t say I have a best friend, but rather lots of brothers that I am very close to and that I talk to often. But if I had to choose one person I am close to and joke with a lot it has to be Daniel Niedzkowski. He is like an uncle and he takes great care of me. He is such a good guy.”
Asked who Minteh would choose if he could take any player or staff member from Brighton on a dream holiday, Minteh says: “That’s a good question. I think I would choose Daniel. He’s too funny and makes so many jokes and makes me happy. I would take him on my dream holiday to Gambia, to show him my home country.”
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