Why I Use My Mother’s Name On My Jersey-Calvin Bassey

By Bukola Kayode

Months before the current controversy about his correct identity, Super Eagles defender, Calvin Bassey, revealed why he chose to use his mother’s family name on his team jersey.

Bassey told Athletic in an interview that the choice of his mother , Mercy’s name is his way of rewarding her for fully supporting his career and her raising him alongside his brothers singlehandedly.

Like Liverpool FC’s captain Virgil van Dijk, who dropped his father’s name from his jersey, Calvin at a point in his career opted to drop his father’s name, Ughelumba to use his mother’s name on his team shirt.

He explained: “He (Father) was just not in my life. We lived with him but that when I was really young. Since I was six it has been mum and us, the boys. I knew that if I got the chance to put my name on the back of a shirt, I wanted it to be my mum’s name, my way of saying thank you”.

Calvin plays as a left-back or a centre-back for Premier League club Fulham. Born in Italy, he plays for the Super Eagles.

Bassey was a product of Leicester City’s youth system but did not make a senior appearance for the club before joining Rangers on a free transfer in July 2020. He made 65 appearances over two seasons for Rangers and won the Scottish Premiership and the Scottish Cup. In July 2022, he signed for Dutch club Ajax with Rangers receiving the highest transfer fee in their history. The following July, he signed for English club Fulham.