In an exclusive interview with Soccer Laduma this week, South African youth international, Lyle Foster opens up about his journey in professional football.
The 19-year-old playmaker came through the youth structures of Orlando Pirates where he spent two years with the first team, making 11 competitive appearances, a promising talent for the Bucs at the time.
However, in January 2019, Foster completed a dream move to Europe, joining up with French side AS Monaco.
A few months later the player was sent out on loan to Belgium with Jupiler Pro League side, Cercle Brugge, where he has since been enjoying fairly regular football, making 21 appearances in a all competitions.
Speaking to Soccer Laduma in an exclusive interview this week, Foster opened up about his journey in professional football.
"Before the age of 12, I used to play football for small clubs on the street and I got scouted by (Augusto) Palacios and I was nurtured by him. He took me under his wing and then, at Pirates, I worked with different coaches who taught me to be grounded and humble. Palacios always knew my dream was to play abroad and I had to work hard. I need to remain the same and continue working hard," he said.
To read the full exclusive interview with Foster where he also discussed:
- Coming up against Percy Tau in the Brugge derby
- The difference between the Brugge derby and the Soweto derby
- The difference between coaches in Europe and coaches in South Africa
Check out issue number 1173 of Soccer Laduma, available online.
