When Junior Nsemba steps out at Wembley on Saturday afternoon, he’ll comply with within the footsteps of a well-known member of his household. 'I'll positively ship him an image of the pitch so it brings again outdated reminiscences,' says the 19-year-old Wigan Warriors prop.
The recipient of that photograph? Nsemba's uncle Rigobert Track. The previous Liverpool and West Ham defender performed at Wembley within the days of the Twin Towers, and captained Cameroon in a 2-0 pleasant defeat to Glenn Hoddle's England in 1997.
Track – who’s married to the sister of Nsemba's father Pascal – is essentially the most capped footballer in Cameroon's historical past. He appeared in 4 World Cups and managed them on the final event in Qatar, earlier than being sacked in February.
'My dad at all times tells me what a superb participant he was,' says Nsemba, whose mother and father immigrated to Wigan from Cameroon earlier than he was born. 'It's laborious to dwell as much as his identify as a result of he's carried out so many nice issues. He hasn't been to a recreation but however hopefully I'll have the ability to be part of him someday.'
Nsemba himself started taking part in soccer, taking part in for native junior membership Winstanley Warriors. His football-mad father dreamed of him emulating his uncle within the recreation. Nonetheless, Nsemba quickly found he was higher suited to the oval ball than the spherical one.
Junior Nsemba (pictured) will comply with in his well-known soccer uncle's footsteps at Wembley on Saturday
Wigan will tackle Warrington Wolves within the Problem Cup closing in London
His uncle is former soccer star Rigobert Track, who has performed for each Liverpool and West Ham
'I didn't like taking part in soccer in any respect,' admits the tall teenager. 'I needed to change positions from striker to centre-back on a regular basis and I requested my dad if there was one other sport I might strive.
'Wigan had been reverse St Jude's Winstanley and as quickly as I touched a rugby ball I fell in love with the sport. At concerning the age of 13, I used to be instructed I needed to decide and I selected rugby.'
Nsemba was quickly recognised by present Wigan head coach Matt Peat, who signed him on the Warriors and gave him an opportunity to make his Tremendous League debut in 2022 on the age of 18.
When he scored his first senior strive within the Problem Cup win at Leeds final 12 months, BBC commentator Dave Woods uttered a memorable line: ‘Keep in mind, bear in mind, Junior Nsemba.’ And the 6ft 5in Nsemba has since proven he received’t be forgotten, establishing himself as a first-team common and rising as considered one of rugby league’s finest younger skills.
This season, he has taken his probability with the Tremendous League champions within the absence of his hero and mentor Willie Eesa, who broke his ankle in April. 'Once I began watching rugby, Willie was the individual I appeared as much as,' Nsemba admitted. 'I'm taking his place now and I feel I'm doing a superb job.
'However earlier than and after video games, I speak to Willie and ask what he thinks I can do higher. I'm fortunate he's my mentor.'
Nsemba can also be impressed by his Christian religion, proudly displaying Mail Sport a tattoo of a lion, sheep and cross on his proper arm. 'I am going to church on Sundays after I can,' he says. 'Earlier than video games I take heed to a little bit of drill, R&B, then gospel to calm myself down earlier than a match.'
He admits will probably be tougher than ordinary to maintain calm forward of at the moment's Problem Cup closing in opposition to Sam Burgess's Warrington Wolves. 'It's a giant event and I'm nervous,' says Nsemba, who can have 15 members of the family and associates within the crowd with him.
Track captained the Cameroon staff in a 2-0 defeat in opposition to England on the outdated Wembley in 1997
Track, who’s married to the sister of Nsemba's father Pascal, is the most-capped footballer in Cameroon's historical past
Nsemba reveals how he turned his again on soccer a number of years in the past to pursue a profession in rugby
'Ever since I began taking part in rugby I've at all times needed to attain one thing and to even get to Wembley is an enormous achievement. It's a dream come true.'
If he continues at his present tempo, it received’t be lengthy earlier than Nsemba realises one other dream by taking part in for his nation – though will probably be totally different from his uncle’s.
“There are only a few Cameroonian gamers in rugby league and to be considered one of them is a really particular factor for me. However it could be wonderful to play for England someday. If I can preserve working laborious and do what the coaches are saying, then hopefully in some unspecified time in the future in my life I’ll get there,” says Nsemba.
