“I don’t want to tell myself I’m a Premier League player.”

SA Tyrick Kwon Mitchell (1/9/1999, London) no one gave him anything to get where he is. He worked hard for it. He still couldn’t believe it after he put on the team shirt. Crystal Palace In 166 games, scoring three goals and providing 11 assists, he knows he hasn’t reached his ceiling yet. But the truth that came to light after 20 days of premier, This is the number of blocks (blocking crosses and passes) this left back has had this season: 53. No one else has done that many.

A clear goal

Mitchell He didn’t always have a fixed idea of ​​what he could be, but he had a clear goal: to add 50 games at a time When he renewed his contract with Crystal Palace stated that “I don’t want to tell myself that I am a player of Premier League”.

“I didn’t want to do that myself, until I played half the games that some of my teammates played, He added, “You can play 50 games and then never play in the league again .” Premier League. I want to feel like I’m always working for the next 50, and then the next 50. I don’t want to say, ‘You know what? Now I’ve really done it.’”

In this way, he removes the pressure and admits that “I feel that this is an attitude that relaxes me. At least, in my mind. Telling myself that I have something that I’ll never do until I retire, and then I’ll be able to look back and think, ‘I’ve done something good in my life.'”

This season he is a fixture in the ‘Eagles’ lineup, his contract expires at the end of June 2025 and, with Jamaican and English nationality, he made his England debut with Gareth Southgate in command, who used it (29 minutes) in a friendly match against Switzerland and they won 2-1 and repeated the match Ivory Coast (3-0) playing 62 minutes.

Example for other children

Mitchell had a difficult childhood as his father spent time in prison and his mother was forced to go to relief centers and subsidies to feed her family.

His football career started in AFC Wembley (he was born near the emblematic stadium) thanks to the fact that a coach cared about his well-being, picked him up at home and took him to training. The one in Brentford They were impressed and he entered their academy to make the jump to the U18’s Crystalthe U21 and finally, in the 2020-21 season, signed for the first team. Since then he has been an example for many men of Academy and above all, for those who live in poor areas of the city with high levels of non-school attendance. As a result, his efforts and dedication were rewarded with the award ‘Community Championof Association of Professional Footballers (PFA) which recognizes people who go above and beyond for the local communities of their clubs.

Besides, Tyrick working closely with the Foundation’Palace for Life‘ in the neighborhoods of south London, because “it can be very difficult for a young person to grow up. The work we do has nothing to do with football at all, but we use the power of football and Crystal Palace to make a real difference in the lives of young people and help them in their daily aspirations.” And he is the best example.