British NFL star Efe Obada finished his post-match press conference on the verge of tears after helping the Carolina Panthers to a 37-26 victory in his homecoming game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Obada was trafficked to the UK from the Netherlands as a child and grew up on the streets and in foster care in London.
He discovered American football with the London Warriors at the age of 22, before progressing rapidly to reach the NFL.
Sunday’s game, the second of four to be played in London this season, was Obada’s first in the country he calls home, and an emotional occasion did not disappoint.
“It was everything and more man, honestly,” Obada said. "When we were coming out of the tunnel it was just electric.
“There have been a lot of stages in my life where if someone told me I’d be here right now I’d laugh at them. But I’m here.
“That will stay with me for the rest of my life. Who’d have thought, you know?"
Before the game, Obada received a special surprise from head coach Ron Rivera as he was made an honourary captain for the day.
“That was special,” Obada added. “I wasn’t expecting that.
“I had another jersey on and I came in and everybody was waiting for me for a big entrance and then [Rivera] pulled out the jersey with the ‘C’ on it. I’m not giving that back.”
