From a Bakery in Sierra Leone to Manchester City
The 18-year-old Sierra Leonean defender Juma Bah has a fascinating and inspiring life story.
Once spending his spare time helping out at his father’s bakery in Sierra Leone, Bah is now on the verge of playing for Manchester City.
The young footballer began his career on dusty and muddy fields, and just nine months ago, he was playing league matches on artificial turf.
However, after delivering impressive performances in La Liga with Real Valladolid, he attracted the attention of major clubs, leading Manchester City to sign him.
A Dream Come True
Following his transfer, Bah shared his excitement with BBC Sport Africa:
“It would be a dream for me to play with these great players at Manchester City. I usually play with them on PlayStation. Playing with them in real life will be amazing.”
“I’m looking forward to going there and learning, and to have the best coach in the world. My aim is to win trophies.”
Juma Bah’s life motto is to work hard and improve his game. However, he will have to be patient before wearing the Manchester City jersey, as the club immediately sent him on loan to Lens (France). Sierra Leone’s coach Mohamed Kallon believes Bah has a bright future:
“I knew something big was going to happen, and he was just waiting for his opportunity. He can succeed in Europe. Manchester City bought him because they see something in him. We can see that he has the potential to grow.”
Humble Beginnings
Juma Bah grew up in Congo Market, Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. While taking his first steps in football, he also helped his parents by carrying firewood to his father’s bakery and assisting his mother.
“At 4 AM, I carried wood because my father usually bakes early in the morning,” Bah explained.
“I would say he has the best bread in the world. I used to carry the bread to people’s shops.”
“My mum used to sell chicken balls on the street. I would usually help pound the meat, and then she would take it to sell to people. I’m really happy to help my family.”
As a child, Bah played football barefoot in the streets and had an intense passion for the sport. His hard work paid off, and in April 2021, he moved from Giants Academy to AIK Freetong (Third Division). Just ten months later, at the age of 15, he was playing in the Sierra Leone Premier League.
At Freetonians SLIFA, he became a key player and was named captain in his second season. Standing at 1.93 meters (6’4″), his impressive performances caught the attention of European scouts. After a trial at AIK (Sweden), he joined Valladolid on loan (August).
La Liga Debut
After playing two matches for the U19 team, Bah was quickly promoted to the senior squad. He made his La Liga debut as a starter against Real Sociedad.
“It was amazing, the best day for me,” Bah recalled.
“I was so emotional in the dressing room, and then the board came up saying I was going to start.”
“When I went out, I saw a lot of people in the stadium. I’d never seen this crowd before.”
After the match, a video surfaced of his mother watching the game back home in Sierra Leone, filled with joy.
“After the game, I saw the video, and I was in tears,” he admitted.
“I was like, ‘Oh my God,’ and showed my friends.”
“I always told my mum that one day I was going to make her proud. Her watching me on TV when I play was a blessing.”
Controversial Transfer to Manchester City
Bah’s performances were so impressive that he quickly became an indispensable player for Valladolid.
The Spanish club activated his buyout clause and added a €6 million release fee. However, Bah soon decided to terminate his contract by paying the release clause himself and moved to Manchester City.
Valladolid expressed anger over the move, accusing City of encouraging Bah to break his contract, and threatened legal action. However, Bah refuted these claims:
“I am the one who did that to terminate my contract,” he stated.
“They (Valladolid) didn’t care about me. They didn’t speak to my agent about giving me a new contract.”
“They didn’t even call me to speak. They didn’t want me to leave because there were a lot of clubs that came to sign me.”
The National Team Awaits
Bah’s next goal is to represent his national team. Coach Kallon has confirmed that the young star will be part of Sierra Leone’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
“Technically, he’s a really good player,” Kallon said.
“He can secure and protect the ball, and he has a good passing range. He can duel very well, dribble in tight spaces, and construct the game.”
“Those are the main qualities of a central defender.”