Ryan Sessegnon, the English professional footballer currently playing for Fulham in the English Premier League, has been passionate about the game since his early days. With the influence of his twin brother Steven, Ryan’s interest in football has only grown stronger. Starting his professional career in 2008 with Fulham’s under-nine team, Ryan made his debut in an EFL Cup match in August 2016, becoming the youngest-ever goal-scorer in a first-team game. Despite attracting interest from top teams like Manchester United and Liverpool, Ryan chose to stay with Fulham and signed a contract until 2020. He played a crucial role in his national team’s victory in the Euro Under-19 tournament and achieved his first career hat-trick against Sheffield United in November 2017. Ryan Sessegnon is widely regarded as the next big talent in English football, and his future looks incredibly promising.
Quick Facts
- Name: Kouassi Ryan Sessegnon
- Age: 23 years
- Siblings: Steven Sessegnon
- Occupation: Football Player
- Nationality: British
- Height: 5’10” (178 cm)
- City: London, England
Childhood & Early Life
Ryan Sessegnon was born on May 18, 2000, in Roehampton, London, into a family full of football enthusiasts. His cousin, Stephane Sessegnon, and his twin brother and ‘Fulham’ teammate, Steven, are both noted football players. Both Ryan and Steven practiced football since childhood and exhibited immense talent. As a child, Ryan was part of many teams, and it soon became obvious that he was here to make a mark in the national football scene.
Career
In 2008, 8-year-old Ryan joined the ‘Fulham’ under-nine team and maintained his momentum for the next few years, playing for different junior teams. In August 2016, he made his ‘EFL Cup’ debut against ‘Leyton Orient,’ at the age of 16. He made his championship game debut on August 16. He eventually scored his first career goal against ‘Cardiff City’ on August 20. With this, he became the first-ever footballer born in the 2000s to score a championship match goal.
This was Ryan’s the first stint with professional football. In January 2017, he made his ‘FA Cup’ debut and scored a goal against ‘Cardiff.’ He became one of the youngest goal-scorers in the history of this championship too.
In a game against ‘Newcastle United,’ in March, he scored two goals and earned the respect of opponent player Alan Shearer, who described Ryan’s performance as “excellent.” Alan’s team eventually won the championship, but Ryan emerged as the hero of the tournament. He further became the youngest player ever to earn a place in the ‘PFA Championship Team of the Year.’
Following the 30 championship games he played, he became a national hero, as the media went crazy about him. Italian Newspaper ‘La Gazzetta dello Sport’ heaped immense praises on him and gave him a place in their “Top 30 under-20s” list. Ace magazine ‘Sports Illustrated’ further honored him with the 19th spot on their list of the best players under 20.
In 2016, he represented his national team in the ‘Euro Under-17’ and scored his maiden goal for the ‘Under-19’ national team, playing against Luxembourg in a ‘European Under-19 Championship’ qualifier. His team won the match 2–0. He was included in the squad for the ‘Euro Under-19’ finals and proved the management’s decision right when he scored three goals against Germany. He ended the tournament as a joint top-scorer.
This was England’s very first ‘Euro Under-19’ championship trophy and Ryan’s role in it was highly appreciated. He was further included in the ‘Team of the Tournament.’
Several of his teammates and his coaches have praised Ryan’s skills wholeheartedly, and during the 2017 summer transfer window for the ‘English Premier League,’ several teams expressed their interest in Ryan. ‘Manchester United,’ ‘Liverpool,’ and ‘Everton’ were three of the front-runner clubs that were ready to bid for him.
In June 2017, it was officially announced that Ryan had decided to stay with ‘Fulham’ and had signed a contract that would be valid until 2020. Ryan stated that he was looking forward to gain more experience and that he just wanted to play in as many games as he could.
During his first club season, he wore the number 3 jersey and played in the 2017–2018 season. He scored his first goal in September, against Cardiff, in a match which was eventually a draw. ‘FourFourTwo’ magazine mentioned him as one of the best teenage footballers presently active.
His performance peaked in a game against ‘Sheffield United’ in November 2017, when he scored the maiden hat-trick of his professional career, which ultimately led his team to a 5–4 victory. With this, he became the first teenage footballer to score a hat-trick in the top four tiers of English league football.
Personal Life
Ryan Sessegnon is often compared with Gareth Bale. He is known as a grounded man and has never publicly agreed to the comparisons. He dreams of playing for his country, alongside his twin brother, Steven, and says that they have talked about being on the same team ever since they were young.