Dapo Afolayan speaks exclusively to Sky Sports about his footballing journey after he played a starring role in St Pauli’s promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in 13 years
From the National League to the Bundesliga, Dapo Afolayan has a footballing journey that few can match.
He’s trained with the likes of Declan Rice, Jack Wilshere and Jermain Defoe. He’s also played under David Moyes and Paul Scholes in a footballing career that has stretched over Canada, England and Germany. He also has a university degree in civil engineering.
The London-born winger has been promoted to the Bundesliga with St Pauli, who won the second-tier title for the only the second time in their history. Their promotion ends a 13-year wait to return to the summit of German football.
St Pauli won the title on the final day but achieved promotion with a game to spare in a 3-1 victory against VFL Osnabruck in their last home fixture. In that game Afolayan scored twice and set up the third to ensure victory. Owing to St. Pauli’s strong bond with their unique support, fans joined the players on the pitch sparking some dramatic celebrations.
“It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before in my life,” Afolayan told Sky Sports.