From Amateur Soccer to Chelsea Defender: Disasi Proud of His Roots

"My journey was anything but ordinary," Disasi conveyed to chelseafc.com.

"I have never been in an academy. I was going to school and practising football at the same time. Then at 16, I moved to Paris FC. When I started there were a lot of normal players coming from other academies, and I was one of the only ones coming from a normal club.

"At the beginning, I wouldn’t say it was difficult, but I was a bit shy. There I honed my skills a lot. I had one coach who was very good to learn from. I grew up very quick. After six months I was promoted to the next age group. It was then that I realised the journey was starting."

Disasi also stated: "I was taking the train to go to school and football at the same time. I was leaving the house at 8.30am and coming back at 7pm. All my day was there.

"In my second year at Paris FC, I trained with the first team. I was 17. This year was the most difficult. It was the year of my exams, the Baccalaureate in France, a very important year for studying.

"At the same time, I was playing with the professionals for Paris FC. So my calendar was around football, not school. I struggled a lot at school. I was turning up 30 minutes late. I remember doing my homework on the train and falling asleep. I was so tired from training. When I got home, I just wanted to sleep."

Disasi credits his family for helping him succeed in the pro game.

"It’s a mixture of work, confidence, and the people around me. My friends and family are good people. When the times were bad, they were there for me. When the times were good, they were also there for me. They kept me on a good balance. They never let me think I was on top of the world.

"The obstacles I had to overcome helped make me who I am today. I know the chance I have. I left my parents' house very late. People like Benoit (Badiashile) left home when they were 13 or 14. I was there until I was 18. I have a base. That has helped me be the person I am.

"I am someone who likes to learn. Even today I keep learning. I would like to keep learning in the future. I want to keep pushing and working, like I always do in life. I’m not someone who gives myself a limit. I just push and see where it takes me."