RIO'S RAPID RISE! Inside Ngumoha's journey to achieving England dream including 'no brainer' call to swap Chelsea for Liverpool

Rio Ngumoha used football as a “top escape route” to put him on the path to glory.

Liverpool winger Ngumoha, 18, is one of English football’s best prospects and he says he owes a huge debt of gratitude to his brother James and mum Liz.

James is his mentor, agent and best friend while Liz has given up her job at a school to move to Liverpool to help him reach his full potential in what has become a family affair.

Ngumoha’s talent and single-minded attitude is the reason he has already broken into England’s senior set-up, went to the United States as part of their pre-tournament training camp and caught Thomas Tuchel’s eye.

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London-born Ngumoha admits that even as a kid he visualised himself playing for England and now all of his dreams are coming true.

Ngumoha said: “Yeah, 100 percent because I feel like if you don't visualise anything or you don't dream big enough, then you might not ever achieve it. So I think just having the belief and the force in your mind thinking, one day I can play for England.

“I think you definitely need to have that so you can drive to achieve it. So yeah, I've definitely always believed in it.

“My brother has been a massive part of my journey. He saw the talent in me from when I was like five years old, which is crazy to say. But yeah, he's my agent as well now. He just wants the best for me, and he's really supportive.”

His brother was a “tough” taskmaster but that hard work - and endless training sessions - have paid off now. It also meant that Ngumoha just focused on his football even though he grew up in tough part of East London.

“Yeah, growing up in Manor Park, everyone knows it's a tough it's a tough area,” said Ngumoha. “Newham, especially.

“But to be fair, I think the people around me and all my friends and family made sure I wasn't a part of anything that was too rough, or just to keep me on my toes really. And I had football, which is a top, top escape route for any things such as like crime and stuff.

“My brother is tough, sometimes. I definitely needed that when I was younger. My mum has done a lot for me. The hardest thing for her has been moving up to Liverpool. She left her job to come move up. She does everything for me and my brother. She’s just amazing.”

Ngumoha had spells at West Ham and Arsenal before joining Chelsea aged just eight but then took the really brave decision to sign for Liverpool in 2024 because he could see a clearer pathway to the first team.

That choice is now paying off as he has become a firm favourite with the Liverpool fans who he describes as “the best in the world.”

“I feel like I needed a new challenge. I feel like if I stayed at Chelsea... not saying that I wouldn't have got to the first team as quick, because I believe in my ability, but I feel like Liverpool just gave me a new pathway. The plan that they set for me was straightforward really,” he said.

“For me, it was a no-brainer going to Liverpool, and they just said if I prove myself, because they know how much ability I had, then they know that I would definitely be a first-team player and definitely a star for them in the making. I think going to Liverpool so far has been the right choice.”

Ngumoha went to the United States in the summer and scored a “worldie” in a behind-closed-doors game and also played against New Zealand in a friendly.

He was not on England’s long list so could not get promoted to the World Cup squad and, in a way, he says that took the pressure off him and he just played his natural game.

Ngumoha added: “I feel like I'm quite fearless. I feel like if there's an opportunity to beat my man, I'll always do it. I feel like it was the way I came up really, playing in cages near my house.

“To be fair, I knew before going to the camp that I couldn't go to the World Cup anyway, which obviously as a young player you would want to go to these tournaments.

“But it is difficult because I only started really playing towards the end of last year at Liverpool, but I just chose the pre-camp at the World Cup to just prove myself and just to be free and play with some expression.

“I did that and I made a good impression, so I just want to keep up the impression.”