Ian Wright did it. So did Jamie Vardy. But taking the path from non-league to the Premier League is a tough task.
West Ham's Michail Antonio, though, has not only made it, but he has also made history - last month becoming his club's record Premier League scorer.
But for all his success, which included an international debut with Jamaica at the start of this month, the 31-year-old striker has never forgotten where it all began - in the Isthmian League with Tooting & Mitcham United.
"The relationship between Michail and the club is ongoing," Ashley Bosah, Tooting's manager, tells BBC Sport.