Hatters summer signing Chong reveals he was a late bloomer

​Summer signing Tahith Chong was definitely a late bloomer to the game after admitting football hadn’t always been for him as a youngster.

The winger, who was one of the players to break Luton’s club record transfer fee this summer, was born in the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao, as despite growing up seeing his father play, never really showed much interest in the game himself.

That was however until he watched the 2006 World Cup, the tournament held in Germany eventually won by Italy when beating France on penalties in the final.

His passion quickly ignited, Chong then moved to Feyenoord, before heading overseas to join the academy at Manchester United in 2016, going on to spend six years at Old Trafford.

Casting his eyes back to his formative years though, he said: “The 2006 World Cup, that's probably one of the first times I was watching football.

“My dad used to play football as well, he was all the time, ‘you want to come along?’

"I was like, ‘no, not for me’ and then I watched the World Cup 2006 and after that I was like, I want to start playing football.

“I think it took him a few months to actually believe me, but that's how it started really.

"I was so young at the time, I don't think I knew all the rules and what was going on, it was just the atmosphere.

“I was living at the time still in the Caribbean, Curacao, everyone watched the final, the whole family and it was a crazy final, when (Zinedine) Zidane did the headbutt.

“There was just something after that where I said, this is really a sport I kind of like, I would like to try it and see how good I really am.”

Chong was to quickly find out that he was not only just good at it, he excelled in it, soon representing the Netherlands in their various age categories.

That saw the Premier League cast their net to bring him to England, as he headed to the Red Devils when still only 17, quick to credit his parents for their help in making the move as simple as possible.

He continued: “I went to do the trials at Feyenoord and when you're so young you don't really realise, you just think I’m going to play football in a different country, nice.

"Looking back on the journey, a kid from the Caribbean, it’s a massive opportunity just knowing United from living in Curacao and playing on the Xbox and PS5 with them.

"We discussed it as a family, but just excitement and a proud moment, whether you go or not, to get noticed is already a massive plus really.

“It’s a compliment to my mum and dad as they probably sacrificed way more than I did at a young age, I just thought, this sounds fun.

“As you get older you realise what goes into it, so for me it was enjoyable at the time, but looking back I can see what my mum and dad sacrificed.

“They just made it easy, they took all the burdens, for me it was just about going out and enjoy.

“At the time, mixing it with school, they just did their best, they just did a brilliant job.

"They probably had some stressful days, but they never let me know this as a kid at the time, which is a compliment to them really.”

Loan spells in Germany with Werder Bremen and Club Brugge in Belgium means that Chong is certainly well travelled despite still being just 23 years of age.

He remained in England last year, spending the campaign at Championship side Birmingham City before his move to Luton and it's those times away from home that he believes will stand him in good stead, adding: “Going there (Old Trafford) to start with, felt like a really family club, I really enjoyed my time there, learning and even training with the first team.

"Seeing all those big names and big players, you’re constantly learning and just trying to be a sponge around everyone and just trying to soak everything up, that’s been important for me on my journey.

"All the time players come and speak to you, whether that’s on your game or off the pitch stuff, how to conduct yourself, as you’re 24/7 in the spotlight, so you learn how to conduct yourself and how to behave.

"It’s so much that you learn, not only on the pitch, but off the pitch as well.

“Wherever I go or whatever experience, it’s like I’m carrying a backpack and all the experiences, I just put them in there.

"Then in five, six years I might need them, and then I just open up my backpack and see what I can do with them experience-wise.”