Maduka Okoye was one of the many athletes who took center stage at Milan Fashion Week. The Udinese goalkeeper took part in the fashion week activities as the image of the third jersey of the Friulian team, showing that he feels quite comfortable in this environment, except between the posts. If things were not going well with the gloves, the 27-year-old goalkeeper of the Nigerian national team could return as a model, seeing the success he is reaping on social networks and beyond.
Who better than him, then, for an event that brings together sport and fashion? An opportunity to talk not only about the performances of the Friulian team, which is showing ups and downs, but also about how he experiences this popularity off the field. However, this should not affect his professionalism. Maduka's first thought remains football, despite the voices of the pink chronicle after the videos where he appears together with the Argentine showgirl Belen.
The goalkeeper, who nevertheless accepts with a smile his status as a "sex symbol", wanted to clarify things: "Belen? I don't talk about my private life, because it doesn't affect the game - reports 'Repubblica' -. The same goes for my presence in the parades: it's a world that I like, but that has nothing to do with my activity as a footballer. I don't lose concentration, for myself and for my teammates". Okoye's media and social media rise experienced an immediate acceleration last summer, when a video of his appearance in a friendly with the national team went viral.
@skysport @marinapresello 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐢𝐫𝐨 𝐡𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐭 😂😍 #SkySport #Udinese #Okoye
♬ original sound - Sky Sport
From that moment on, interactions on his social profiles increased significantly, with people seemingly discovering him by surprise: on TikTok he went from 250,000 to over a million followers in a matter of weeks, fueled by comments from those who dubbed him “the most beautiful footballer in the world.” It’s enough to think that someone even thought he had undergone physical interventions carried out through artificial intelligence.
What better opportunity to deepen his feelings on this subject than Milan Fashion Week? Okoye, a little embarrassed and a little amused, answered Sky's questions: "I'm the most beautiful footballer in the world? I've heard that before. I don't know, I don't say it. If others say it, fine, but I don't say it". Of course, despite this, one should not lose orientation and Okoye is aware of this: "Yes, this is important to me. Even if I travel around the world and things change off the pitch, for me it is important to be the same guy as always".
In short, for the moment the goal remains his priority, but the future seems assured even away from the football fields. For the moment, Okoye is achieving a difficult mission: to reconcile both aspects of his life, without allowing himself to be distracted and without losing sight of the objective. No nervousness when talking about topics outside the field, in confirmation of an important calm. Recently, Aryna Sabalenka, the number two in the world, for example, has also faced questions regarding her status as an “influencer” away from the racket. She, however, has not managed to maintain the same calm. Another proof that, in any case, it is difficult to follow several paths at the same time.
