Nuno Espirito Santo opens up about his African roots

West Ham United manager, Nuno Espirito Santo has revealed that he hails from São Tomé and Príncipe and is proud of his roots.

The manager noted that he was born in Africa and lived there for some time during his childhood before moving abroad.

He recalled memories of visiting the sea and interacting with local people, which made him aware of the hardships within the community.

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“African football is very special in terms of freedom, talent, and individuality. To the sea, bare naked around, so it was nice. Families live close to each other. Each time I go back to the sea, each time I speak to someone from the sea, it makes you see that life is tough. I’m proud of my roots and I hope one day I can give back to São Tomé something that São Tomé gave to me. If I’m an example for someone, I’m honoured, and it’s a privilege,” he said during an interview with BBC Africa.

Espirito Santo emphasised that there are many talented coaches in Africa, some of whom he has trained and learned from in the past.

The former Tottenham Hotspur boss added that he would be delighted to coach São Tomé and Príncipe in the future and lead them to a major tournament if the opportunity arises.

“I think there are a lot of black men with talent. I had some African coaches spend weeks training and observing with me at various clubs. They come here to England to try and learn from us, but they can also teach us many good things. Good music, that’s for sure. But if I can be a part of something, I’ll be honoured,” he added.

Watch the interview below:

SB/JE

Meanwhile, watch the feature about Swedru All Blacks’ journey from Division One to the GPL below