‘Every goal I’ve written down has manifested’: Semenyo credits journaling for success

New Delhi: Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo has credited the habit of journaling, which he began at the age of 14, for helping him overcome career setbacks and achieve his ambitions in professional football.

The 26-year-old has come a long way after facing rejection at trials during his teenage years before securing a professional contract with Bristol City in 2018. A move to Bournemouth in 2023 helped him establish himself further, eventually earning him a transfer to Manchester City in January.

Semenyo said he began writing down his thoughts and ambitions as a teenager when he was struggling with overthinking, and the habit has since become an important part of his personal and professional development.

“A lot of the time I was overthinking, so it became a habit. I manifest what I want for the season and for the years ahead, and it’s worked out well so far." Semenyo said in an interview with UEFA ahead of Manchester City’s Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday.

“Every goal that I’ve written down so far has manifested. When anything pops up, I write it down and come back to it to see it at a later stage,” he added.

The winger has made an impressive start to life at City, scoring 13 goals in 35 appearances for the club, including the winner in last season’s FA Cup final. He said the habit of revisiting his notes has also helped him track his progress and understand his development as a player.

“From day one, I had to understand myself as a player. It’s understanding the pace of the game, when to go slow, when to speed it up, and when to dribble. Pep drilled that into me a lot, and it’s helped me. That’s where the journaling comes in because I’ve written all this stuff down. Then I can go back to it and tick it off,” he said.

Semenyo also acknowledged the role of adversity in shaping his character, recalling periods at Newport County, Bristol City and Sunderland when he struggled for form and found himself out of the team.

He said those experiences taught him resilience and the importance of remaining mentally strong during difficult phases of a career.

“It’s made me, ultimately, resilient. I’m strong-minded and have strong character. Anything in the way is just a blur; I’m always going to be tunnel visioned on what my goal is. If I want something, I’m going to get it eventually. You need to be strong-minded to get through those moments. If you’re not strong-minded, you’ll fall,” he added.

Semenyo added that playing alongside some of the world’s leading players at Manchester City continues to help him learn and improve.

“I’m playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world. We’re playing our best football, and I’m with star players, and I’m still learning about myself every day,” he said.

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