As he continues to blaze his way to the top, Jadon Sancho hasn’t forgotten where his journey started, and now he’s partnered with Nike to provide the youth of South London with a brand new football pitch.

Home of the Lambeth Tigers, a football club for young people aged 6 to 18, and coloured accordingly in vibrant orange and black, the pitch offers footballers of SE11 access to some of the best facilities around. “There’s a real need for safe places for these kids to play in,” said Jamahl Jarrett, co-founder of the club. “A pitch like this is like a sanctuary for kids, encouraging them to get into football in a safe environment. The cool, bright design is also like a magnet — it’s a place where people will want to get out and play.

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Over 200 kids have played on the pitch during its opening week, with Sancho dropping into a few games himself. “Growing up in Kennington has made me the man I am today; I owe a lot to South London for nurturing the way I play," Sancho says. "I hope the local kids feel empowered to tell their own stories through football and follow in my footsteps — this pitch being just the ignition point.

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The Tigers will use the pitch all year to help enable football programming and provide regular opportunities to more than 300 young players in the community through coaching, workshops and training.