A natural talent
Born in Aversa in southern Italy to Nigerian parents, but raised in Genoa in the north-west, the young Honest Ahanor’s first taste of football came in the latter, whilst his family were living in an accommodation centre in a converted abbey.
When a football school started up on a small seven-a-side pitch next door during his early years, Ahanor approached the organisers and asked to play – setting in motion a course of events which would see him join Genoa’s academy as an eight-year-old.
Incredibly, given his experience of top-level football already, those events were just 10 years ago.
Ahanor was by all accounts a rapid developer, blessed with impressive physicality – but also technical ability – which saw him shine in a variety of positions on the left side of defence at youth level, winning the 2023/24 U18s Scudetto title with Genoa and providing an assist in the final.
