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Carlton Cole: “Cage Football Made Me The Man I Am Today”

November 10, 2021

Carlton Cole, former Premier League striker, shares his journey from cage football to bankruptcy, highlighting key moments that shaped his career and life. Don't miss his inspiring story in this episode and share your feedback in the comments!

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Carlton Cole: “Cage Football Made Me The Man I Am Today”

About this episode

Carlton Cole is an English football coach and former Premier League striker who scored 52 goals across 288 appearances for four clubs.

In this episode, Carlton shares the real story behind his journey to the top. He opens up about how cage football shaped his mentality, how his mother’s belief - symbolised by buying him his first proper boots - helped him earn a contract at Chelsea, and the lessons he learned navigating the highs and lows of a long professional career.

Carlton also speaks candidly about the challenges he faced later in life, including experiencing bankruptcy and recognising periods where he was “concentrating on things that give you temporary happiness.”

This is an honest, insightful, and motivating conversation about resilience, environment, opportunity, and the realities of professional football.

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