Speaking during filming for an upcoming video as part of our Black History Month celebrations, Wilson-Esbrand thanked his father in particular for helping him develop to the point that he could make a career in the sport.
“My dad did everything for me,” he said.
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“He took me to the park, brought me up and taught me things inside and outside of football and I owe everything to him to be honest.
“Taking you to football sessions early and when it is cold and it was no benefit to them, being able to give back to them is the best part of it.
“Being able to make the people that sacrificed things for you makes me proud. It’s about letting them see all the hard work that they put in, all the hard work that you put in just come out into fruition.”
The 19-year-old left-back now shares a dressing room with some of the best footballers in the world, including international full-backs in the shape of Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker.
For a player looking to make his mark on senior football, learning from that experience is vital.
He said: “Having the privilege to be in the same changing room as Joao [Cancelo] and Kyle [Walker], who are if not the best then two of the best full-backs in the Premier League. So I just continue to learn from them and to continue to develop my game.”
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Away from football, Wilson-Esbrand took inspiration from one British sporting icon beyond all others during his childhood.
“It has to be Lewis Hamilton,” he insisted.
“I love Formula One, growing up it was a passion of mine. I started watching it at the same time that I started playing football so I have been watching Lewis since 2007 all the way through until now.
“Outside of football he is definitely my role model, he’s the GOAT [greatest of all time] and people debate it because he hasn’t got eight World Championships and people say Schumacher is better but for me, he’s the GOAT.”
You can watch Josh Wilson-Esbrand and Rico Lewis discuss their journey to professional football with each other next week...
