As part of an upcoming video to mark Black History Month, the Dutch international sat down with Manuel Akanji to discuss their lives and how they came to be crucial players in our Treble winning squad.
Black History Month celebrates and recognises the contribution of Black individuals across all fields and industries.
Black History Month | Bunny Shaw’s City impact
Born in The Hague in the Netherlands to an Ivorian father and Dutch mother, 28-year-old Ake says it was watching his older brother Cedric that first inspired him to kick a ball.
He quickly demonstrated his talent and was picked up by local professional side ADO Den Haag before moving on to giants Feyenoord and eventually to Chelsea.
A promising footballer himself, Cedric was part of the youth setup at ADO Den Haag before moving to London with Nathan in order to support him in his early days at Chelsea.
“He was three or four years older than me and I was always watching his games,” said Ake.
“He inspired me to play and then did a lot to encourage me to work hard and train to be the best I could be.
“When I moved to Chelsea, he came as well to help me and that meant a lot.”
The pair’s dad, Moise, was born in Ivory Coast before moving to the Netherlands.
Ake remembers just how supportive their father was, as well as the tales of his own days with a ball at his feet.
He said: “My dad really wanted both of us to do well, especially in school but also football.
“He always had lots of stories about when he was playing in Africa and he was doing so good, you know the stories! For sure, he was the one that pushed me the most.”
After Ake made the move to Chelsea in 2010 while still only 15, he was quickly tipped to be a Premier League star.
He would soon captain Netherlands’ youth sides as well as playing a pivotal role in the 2011/12 FA Youth Cup winning side at Stamford Bridge.
Ake credits the youth coaches at Chelsea with helping the transition into the more physically and emotionally demanding game at senior level.
Our man worked with a number of highly respected coaches during his time in the junior ranks at Cobham, including Dermot Drummy and Steve Holland.
He stated: “The biggest influence on me when I was young was probably at academy and Under-21 level at Chelsea, I had a couple of coaches there who really worked on me and helped me to be the best player I could be.
“Without that, the step from youth football to senior football would have been much more difficult.”
However, Ake was also made aware of the potential pitfalls that await a young, talented sportsman with the world at their feet.
He particularly remembers one occasion after a Europa League quarter-final against Rubin Kazan when senior Chelsea player Paulo Ferreira gave him advice that would be valuable for any youngster.
“When I started to break through at 17 and everything was going well, I started to become known,” said Ake.
“After the game in Russia, Paulo Ferreira spoke to me for about 10 or 15 minutes and he just said to make sure I stay the same and keep humble.
“He said he had seen so many people come in early, think they are all that and after three or four years they move out because they don’t work the same as before.
“I keep that in my head, to make sure I work hard every day.”
