“I never expected to remain here for so long,” a grinning Angelo Ogbonna admits about his time at West Ham United.
The 35-year-old is into his ninth season in east London, having initially signed a four-year contract when joining from Juventus in 2015, and remains an integral part of David Moyes’s squad despite his advancing years.
Ogbonna has always been a dependable figure for West Ham, renowned for his ability to read the game and for his crunch in the tackle. The Italian’s strength of character was epitomised by his brilliant comeback from a career-threatening ACL injury sustained in November 2021 that saw him spring up from the treatment table to aid the Hammers’ Europa Conference League triumph last season.
That stunning June night in Prague, which saw West Ham end their 43-year wait for a trophy by beating Fiorentina 2-1, was the “icing on the cake” as far as Ogbonna’s concerned – the Italian having played a key role in the club’s ascension from Premier League strugglers to European regulars.
“I remember we were in the relegation battle, and we played against Chelsea. Yarmolenko’s goal was a very important one for us. That was one of the matches where our luck started to change,” Ogbonna exclusively tells 90min, reflecting on the club’s recent upward trajectory.
“The growth of the club has been exponential, every sector of the club, every part of it has grown in a very important way. West Ham is not only an English club now, it’s also an important club at the international level. It’s seen in almost the whole world and recognised in the whole world.
“Winning the Conference League was the icing on the cake for a club like West Ham. It’s been an important path for a club that’s always been big and that can still grow more.”
The optimism around West Ham is understandable when you take a look at the current playing squad. Lucas Paqueta plies his trade at London Stadium, alongside the equally talented Mohammed Kudus, while Edson Alvarez and Jarrod Bowen are two other hugely important players who wouldn’t look out of place in any top side.
The Hammers are in contention for another top-six Premier League finish, topped a tricky-looking Europa League group containing SC Freiburg and Olympiacos to advance straight through to the last 16, have beaten Tottenham and Arsenal on the road this season, and have comfortably dispatched other ‘big six’ opposition in Chelsea…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at 90min EN…