Adebayo Akinfenwa gave possibly the best post-match interview EVER after the 38-year-old striker finally achieved his dream of becoming a Championship player.
And his night was made even sweater as the die-hard Liverpool fan was congratulated by a host of Reds players, and even manager Jurgen Klopp.
Wycombe Wanderers beat Oxford United in the League One play-off final at Wembley on Monday night to seal promotion to the second tier for the first time in the club’s history.
It was a great moment for the club, and a defining moment of Akinfenwa’s career after a life-long journey to make it as a top-level footballer despite the doubters and abuse he has faced along the way.
This time four years ago, Akinfenwa didn’t even have a club.
Despite scoring a penalty to help AFC Wimbledon to a 2-0 win over Plymouth Argyle in the League Two play-off final, Akinfenwa was released from his contract.
Speaking after that game, he put out a call to any managers looking to sign him, saying: “I think I’m technically unemployed, so any managers hit me up on the WhatsApp and get me a job!”
Wycombe, then in League Two, answered his call and four years later he is the club’s all-time record goal scorer in the English Football League [with 53 goals] and their joint top scorer of the season [with ten goals] as he helped them to a historic promotion to the Championship.
And to say he was overjoyed was an understatement, as he gave an uplifting interview of such unparalleled excitement, honesty and raw emotion that you can’t help by smile from cheek to cheek when you watch it.
And his dreamland was filled with more clouds – big, white fluffy ones – when he received a video message of congratulations from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who revealed he made aware of Akinfenwa and Wycombe’s achievement by captain Jordan Henderson.
Akinfenwa is a huge Liverpool fan, and even willingly accepted a fine from Wycombe after he defied club rules to wear a Liverpool shirt to training after their Premier League title victory.
A host of current and ex-Liverpool players, including Henderson and Virgil van Dijk, also congratulated him on social media and it’s fair to say he didn’t quite know how to react.
More proof that dreams come true, and hard work pays off.
Congratulations Wycombe and Akinfenwa!
