Akanji’s off-field style is as progressive as his approach to the game, as evidenced by his recent collaboration with Hypebeast, a fashion trendsetter.
Since joining Manchester City, he’s been a rock star on the pitch, consistently delivering top performances.
Hypebeast recently interviewed Akanji at Manchester City’s training ground, where they discussed his life in Manchester, the influence of manager Pep Guardiola on the team’s fashion sense (they’re apparently known for being very stylish), the new Netflix documentary, “Together: Treble Winners,” and more.
One topic particularly close to Akanji’s heart is his Nigerian heritage. He spoke about his desire to help underprivileged children in Nigeria who weren’t as fortunate as him growing up in Switzerland.
He said,
“In Nigeria, I like to help kids who didn’t have the same luck that I had with growing up in Switzerland.”
The conversation also touched on music. When asked about Afrobeats, Akanji said…
While Manuel Akanji has a strong connection to his Nigerian heritage, as evidenced by his desire to help children there, he ultimately chose to represent Switzerland on the international football stage.
This is likely due to growing up in Switzerland and potentially coming up through their youth development system.