Nigerian Dickson Abiama's amazing story from amateur football to the Bundesliga in just three years

"I didn't know what exactly I was doing," admits Dickson Abiama, still slightly incredulous, in an interview with GOAL and SPOX, when asked about May 23 this year.
On that occasion, the 23-year-old striker proved to be the hero of the day and perhaps the campaign, in the season finale of the 2.Bundesliga against Fortuna Duesseldorf when he scored to hand Greuther Fürth victory in the 83rd minute with a right-footed shot and thus into the Bundesliga, making himself immortal in the club’s ranks.

Abiama describes that Sunday afternoon as "pretty crazy". The same applies to the Nigerian's previous career, in just four years he advanced from a district level player to a Bundesliga player. It more or less seems like a fairy tale story.

"That was his trademark": A football field as his starting point

Christian Jonczy remembers his first meeting with Abiama very clearly.
"Dickson's mother came to me with him and said that her son would like to play football," says the youth leader of SpVgg Mögeldorf, Abiama's first club.
While all the formalities were in motion, Jonczy sent the then 17-year-old Abiama to the A-youths.
"You could see right away that he has a lot of talent. His speed and long legs were his trademark.", Jonczy says.
In terms of tactics, however, Abiama had deficits. "He was too impetuous and we had to give him a lot of support," said Jonczy, looking back.

Technically, the club in the east of Nuremberg was Abiama's first club at all. The attacker, who was born in the Nigerian metropolis of Lagos and followed his parents to Germany in 2016, had previously played in his uncle's academy. However, that was "not a real club, but a simple sports field," said Abiama: "At most, we were a handful of people who trained in the morning or in the evening."

fussballn.de/Fabian Strauch

In his new home, football was supposed to serve as a means for quicker integration into German society.
"I could hardly speak German and had no friends or anyone I could go out with in the evening," Abiama said, remembering his first few months in the country.

A random football pitch in Nuremberg became the starting point of a crazy journey.

"I was playing alone not far from my parents' house when two boys saw me and asked if I had a club," he remembered. "Then they said that there was a club called Mögeldorf nearby and that I should take a look at it."

Four leagues skipped in three years: Abiama's rapid rise

Abiama quickly gained a foothold in Mögeldorf, playing in the U19s in his first year he scored 29 goals in 21 games in the regional league and was immediately pulled up into the men's team the following year. There it was goals galore again with 27 goals in 25 appearances.

The young striker quickly expressed his desire even in higher-class teams, but any inquiries from such sides were initially blocked in Mögeldorf. "I had no idea which teams play in which leagues," says Abiama: "In Nigeria, I only knew Bayern, Dortmund, Leverkusen or Schalke."

That was of secondary importance in the end, because Abiama jumped four leagues in three years. After advancing with the Mögeldorfer Herren in 2018, he moved on from the district league to SG Quelle Fürth in the state league. After just one year, Abiama moved to the Bavarian League to play for SC Eltersdorf. There he was again a standout player and was quickly snapped up by his current employer and brought into their 2.Bundesliga set up.

In the winter of 2019/20, Abiama signed a three-year contract in Fürth, while he was a guest player in preparation for test matches and training camps and was supposed to play the second half of the season at Eltersdorf. But due to the corona-related termination of the amateur football season, however, there was no return down the divisions.

"At first it was about the second team," said Abiama, looking back. "But already after a few training sessions I was told that I should prove myself to the pros."

Abiama had other plans asides football: "I actually wanted to do something commercial"

With the Franks, Abiama wrote the next chapter of his own fairy tale. In the first round of the cup at RSV Meinerzhagen, Abiama scored twice in a 6-1 win, in the derby against  FC Nurnberg, he equalized at the last second. At the end of the season, he bagged seven goals and two assists in 29 league outings, including scoring the vital goal that secured the club's all-important promotion.

He would never have dreamed of being a Bundesliga player after just four years in Germany. "I actually wanted to do a commercial apprenticeship," says Abiama about his original plans.

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Dickson Abiama: "Maybe one day we will win the World Cup"

Instead, Abiama is now playing against Bayern, Dortmund and Leverkusen - and all without a youth academy, which means he joins well-known names like Miroslav Klose or Jamie Vardy. As a reward for his premiere season, he was rewarded with a new contract in July which kept him on until 2024.

He has grown to become a fan favorite. In the Fürth stadium, Abiama's promotion winning goal boots hang next to the club's historical achievements and as soon as he enters the field, “Abiama the god of football” echoes through the Ronhofer Sportpark. 

"Personally, I don't like it that much," he admits: "It's a bit strange when they sing my name. I feel a little uncomfortable."

Despite his rapid rise, Abiama appears humble and grounded. The words "dream" and "unbelievable" are often used - but not as classic empty phrases. Where could this remarkable story ended up?
"Even as a child I always wanted to win the World Cup," he says, but adds with a laugh: "I can't really imagine that it would really work."

Fürth: First win, will Abiama's first goal against BVB follow?

Abiama wants to first achieve his personal goals in the Bundesliga before making it to the biggest stage in football.
"I feel a little pressure because I haven't scored yet. As a striker, of course, you always want to score goals when you're on the field," he said: "I want to get as many minutes of play as possible - and above all to win."

In the current Bundesliga season, Abiama has made 12 appearances. He was named in the starting XI five times, most recently three times in a row. The first win of the season (and the first home win in the Fürth Bundesliga history after 24 attempts) came last weekend against Union Berlin.

A debut goal in the Bundesliga would be the next major highlight of his young, but rapidly developing career.