Sunderland striker Eliezer Mayenda credits his parents for his work ethic and insisted, “If you have discipline, then you can do anything.”
The 19-year-old Spaniard moved to France, where his career began in earnest after he became the youngest player in Sochaux’s history to sign a professional contract. He joined the Black Cats in July 2023 and, after returning from a loan spell at Hibernian in Scotland, has started this term with a bang.
Judging by the way he talks about his parents, it’s easy to see where his work ethic comes from.
He told safc.com: “My dad and my mum helped me a lot. My dad talks to me every day about discipline, and it is really important in football. If you have discipline, then you can do anything. You can score goals and play well but discipline is very important. He speaks with me every day about that and he is proud of that.
“As a kid, everybody wants to become a professional footballer and it’s not easy. If you can become professional, it’s an amazing grace. Some people say it’s lucky but it’s not that. It’s work and it’s discipline but it’s important to be graceful. My parents are really proud and they helped me with everything.”
A special moment for the Mayenda family was Sunderland’s 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday, with the forward getting on the scoresheet twice—his first two goals for the club.
“My whole family was at the Stadium of Light when I scored two goals and it was incredible,” he said. “I think my mum cried but I’m not sure. It was an amazing moment. My father said he didn’t cry but I don’t believe him.”
His first goal was the pick of the bunch from the game, after capitalising on a mistake and producing an outstanding strike from distance.
He said, “I watched the goals after the game, and I saw the fans and it was emotional. It was incredible. It was special for me. It’s not easy but if you practice this every day, then it is more natural in the game. When I controlled the ball, I thought that it was a long distance out, but I knew that I could shoot.
“If you are confident, you can score. It was a natural movement for me. If you practice this every day, then it becomes easier.”
Mayenda looked up to fellow Spaniard Fernando Torres and admitted, “I liked him and for me, he was one of the best Spanish strikers of all time. The first example though is Ronaldo. He was the most complete number nine of all time.
“If you want to help the team, you need to be fast, technical, and strong. Ronaldo is a good example of that. He can shoot, score goals and defend; he is fast, strong and technical, and I work every day in training to become all of those things. All of this will make me better.
Mayenda and the rest of the Sunderland squad can afford to be pleased with their start to the current campaign. The Lads currently sit top of the Sky Bet Championship after nine games in the season with six wins. Up next is a trip to Hull City on Sunday.
The forward added: “Every supporter wants to see us back in the Premier League. It won’t be easy, but this team has the quality to push for that this season and be in a strong position. We’ll play another 40 games, so the season is long, but we have good quality in defence, midfield and attack. Patto is amazing in goal too. We need to believe in ourselves. We need to be confident in every game.
“Our ambition is to get to the Premier League, but we need to work to get there. Everyone has the same objective and I believe in my team-mates. Last season, I said that we need to be patient with the team because it is really young. I am playing more games, we have more quality, the gaffer is a good coach, and he knows what we need in this team.”
