New Carolina Panthers signing Mapalo 'Maz' Mwansa grew up wanting to emulate Manchester City legend Yaya Touré, but he had all but given up on organised sport before an off-the-cuff comment changed his life.
The son of two Zambian parents, Mwansa grew up in Peterborough in England, hence his love for soccer. He was aware of American football due to family connections in the US, but initially, it never went beyond throwing the ball in the garden.
That would have remained the case had it not been for the keen eye of his friend, current European League of Football (ELF) player Henry Rowland.