“I left home at 13”

He and two other brothers were named days of the week. Born on Monday and with parents who already had no inspiration on how to baptize their children, Etim received the name Monday.

Born in Nigeria, he left home at just 13 to follow his dream and become a footballer. He arrived in the United States of America, then returned to Europe, where he performed in Denmark and later in Romania.

Etim signed a 3-year contract with the University of Craiova in September, with an option to extend for another one. And he told some unknown details of his life, including the origin of the name.

The story of Monday Etim's first name: “I was born in the house, in my mother's room”

Monday Etim, in FC Argeș – University of Craiova // PHOTO: Cristi Preda (GSP.ro)

“Many years ago, I had a discussion with my mother, like, 'Why Monday? Why did you call me Monday?'” Because actually, what some people don't know is that in my family there are seven children, three of us are named after days of the week.

I'm Monday, the oldest brother was called Friday, but he changed it very quickly when he grew up, and another one was called Sunday, but he changed it too.

As far as I can remember, it's a very vague memory, but as I remember it, she told me that because I was the sixth child and my sister was the seventh child, Dad always wanted a girl. So they tried and tried and ended up with six boys and one girl.

So at some point I think they ran out of name ideas. Because they kept having boys, boys, boys, boys, boys. And when it was my turn, I think my father said: «I don't have a boy name anymore. You have to name it yourself».

And I think my mother said:What day of the week are we on today?”. And he was told: “It's Monday morning”. And he said, “Okay, we'll call him Monday for now, because I'm also out of name and we can change his name later” or something like that.

So I guess that's the story behind the name. It was nothing too complicated. It was just a simple thing. And then I could have changed it, because the same thing happened to my brothers.

So, learning more about the story behind the name, I was like, “Oh, I like that. I'm going to keep it as it is, for the story behind it».

I was born in the house, in my mother's room. He wasn't in the hospital. So everything about my birth and my name and all that was so fascinating to me. And I liked it. And I said: “I'm not going to change anything about it”, said Monday Etim, in an interview for superliga.ro.

Monday Etim is not the only player to get his name after a day of the week. Sheffield Wednesday is another example.

I am from Nigeria, born and raised there. I left home when I was 13. I moved to Cameroon, a neighboring country in Africa. I went to a football school, an academy, for three years until I was 16. I got a scholarship to go to school in the USA. So I had to leave Africa for a completely different continent and start all over again.

I went to a private school in the US, in Florida to be exact, where I spent a year and a half until I turned 18. After graduating from high school in the US, I got my first professional contract to play for Los Angeles Football Club in 2017. I had a one-year contract with them, but I spent the season at Orange County because I needed to gain experience.

I was still very young, fresh out of high school. And yes, I spent two years in the US in California at Orange County and the following year in Texas at Dynamo Houston. Then I came to Denmark where I spent the next six years of my life playing football and just living my life, living my dream. And now I'm here.

– Monday Etim, extreme University of Craiova

Since signing with the team from Bănie, Etim has collected 18 games, in which he scored 5 goals and provided 4 decisive assists. It is quoted by the website Transfermarkt at 550,000 euros.