In the first edition of 'The Beginning', Sam Lightle speaks to Swedish under-17 international Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka about his life changing move to Wearside and the different trials and tribulations he overcame prior to signing on the dotted line.
Millions of youngsters around the world dream of one day following in the footsteps of their idols.
But such is the reality of professional football that just a handful are cherry picked to go into football academies.
With club's scouting networks stretching far and wide across the globe, rarely does a gem go unnoticed as teams battle to lure the hottest talents in world football.
First-year scholar Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka, who began playing football when he was eight, moved to Sunderland in July 2016 from his homeland Sweden aged just 16.
Yet no matter how daunting that may sound, Mbunga-Kimpioka told safc.com he draws on inspiration from his family and Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimović as he continues to raise eyebrows.
“I came from a rough area and growing up was tough," he revealed. "There were a lot of bad people around so I had to have good mental strength to be better than that and not get caught up in it.
"Ibrahimović is a good example of someone who came from a similar area to mine, he had that kind of situation and people didn't believe in him, but now he has reached a level that no one ever thought he could.
"He has opened doors for players like myself to make it possible but it all comes down to staying focused and putting the work in and that's what I want to do at Sunderland.
"My brothers are also my inspirations because their help and guidance made me want something to happen in the future.
“One of my brothers was very, very good at football and my father always compared me to him so that I could try and improve my game that way.
“He had offers to move to Russia and Italy but just wanted to play for fun. Hard work and determination has helped me get to Sunderland and that must continue."
