True hero - From Homeless World Cup to busting nets in England

Throughout the years, the public has heard countless stories of football players' struggling, which represent genuine examples of the famous Latin proverb Per aspera ad astra ("Through hardships to the stars"). However, the story of Richard Kone is something that happens once in a lifetime.

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He was born on July 15, 2003, in Abidjan, currently the ninth most populous city in Africa and the largest in Ivory Coast. Sixteen years later, he was homeless. At that point, only football did not abandon him, and ultimately, this glorious sport provided him with shelter.

In 2019, Kone was part of the Ivory Coast squad at the Homeless World Cup in Cardiff, Wales and afterwards moved to England to play for the amateur side Athletic Newham in the ninth flight of English football. That's where his resurrection began.

Since joining the club inspired by the Spanish Atletico Madrid, Kone gradually scored more and more goals each season - 20 in his debut campaign, then 42, then 40... At the same time his club's results were getting better, as Athletic Newham were even promoted, but Kone's exceptional displays did not fail to catch the eyes of much stronger sides. Still, problems with his visa forced him to stay at Parsloes Park for five years.

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In the meantime, he went on a trial at the League Two side, Colchester United, with even an unknown Premier League allegedly being in the mix. Either way, Kone left Newham only in January 2024 after netting 21 times during the first half of the season and joined the League One team Wycombe Wanderers.

Once he got a proper chance, Kone immediately snatched it and didn't let go, as he began busting rivals' nets as soon as he debuted in professional football. By the end of his first pro season, he became the club's record holder for the fastest hat-trick, netting a so-called "perfect hat-trick" (header, left-foot, and right-foot goals), coming off the bench against Peterborough in only nine minutes!

His stride towards the top continued this season, as he is currently the second leading League One scorer with 14 goals - one less than the top scorer, Stockport's Louis Barry, and two more than his first follower, Birmingham's Jay Stansfield, the forward whose transfer from Fulham was paid £15 million!

Hence, whenever you have doubts or think about quitting, think of this man whose future at 16 seemed darker than the night. But he never gave up and became one of the most inspirational people not only in football but generally in sport.

Many still haven't heard of him, but numerous Championship sides are currently battling for his signature. For a man who's been through everything Kone has, even the Premier League would be a piece of cake.

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In the end, regardless of his football success and whether he forever remains a third-tier player, reaches the top, or returns to the amateur leagues, Richard Kone should forever be remembered as an inspiration and a true hero.