How Willy Agada helped bring the ‘wow’ factor back to previously moribund Sporting KC

Surrounded by media, music blasting throughout the locker room after Sporting KC’s 4-1 win over the Portland Timbers, William Agada delivered the quote of the season.

“They’re cooking always. I’m just eating.”

Such utterances have endeared him to the Sporting faithful. The 5-foot-9 striker from Nigeria has a personality and smile that are larger than life, and he’s quickly made quite an impact here — both on the field and off.

The fact that he’s pumping in goals left and right certainly helps. He’s scored five goals in his last three games. And then there are the celebrations that follow — from nearly choking out Peter Vermes before closing with a gentle peck on Vermes’ cheek, to an assortment of backflips and dances.

To understand where all this energy and enthusiasm comes from, you have to first understand where Agada comes from. Willy, as he prefers to be called, grew up in a small city in the Bauchi State in northeastern Nigeria.

“Where I come from, I have no reason to be complaining,” Agada said in an exclusive interview.

Soccer was a part of his life from an early age. His father, Pius, is a Manchester United fan who played soccer in his city. The younger Agada gew up in a soccer family but said everyone in his neighborhood plays.

“It’s not easy, how the system works there,” Agada said.

His father played as a defender but helped mold Willy into an attacking player. In his introductory news conference, Willy mentioned that even when he goes back home now, he and his dad still play in an adult league for fun.

While his father’s a United fan, somewhere along the way both he and Willy began to gravitate toward Chelsea. Chelsea featured a corps of players who represented African nations or had African backgrounds. Didier Drogba was Willy’s hero, but those Chelsea teams featured Michael Essien, Solomon Kalou and fellow Nigerian John Obi-Mikel.

The younger Agada worked hard and caught the eyes of amateur coaches. He said he feels lucky to have been picked for further development at that age. He raves about the level of competition and talent that surrounded him in the streets.

“We have great talents, but all of a sudden you have been picked to go start playing in amateur leagues,” Agada said. “Sometimes you’re with your friends back home, but they are also trying. They work so hard. I’m telling you, they are putting in work in there. And the transitions were so quick that it’s beyond man’s work.”

Agada has been tested since he was young. At age 18 he moved to Israel, where loans and battles in a tough league continued to shape his playing style. And now, at 22 and having joined Sporting KC during the summer transfer window, Agada has learned to smile through the tougher times and is helping his new teammates do so, too.

“He has a really positive aura about him,” Vermes said. “Sometimes that could only be with a player when it’s only going well for them. I saw that from the first moment he got here.”

Vermes praised Agada’s work ethic, focus, preparation and eagerness to learn ... and of course those goals.

Those matter, too.

“He could be all of those things and not score any goals,” Vermes said. “That would be a problem.

“I say it would be a problem, meaning it wouldn’t have the same effect. The fact that he also is hungry and scores, and gets on the end of stuff, and then also helps to set up goals, all of that, it all adds to it. It all comes together.”

Sporting KC was averaging less than one expected goal per match before Agada’s full integration into the lineup. In the last three matches, Sporting not only leads Major Leagu Soccer in goals per game, but also in shots on target per match. Sporting has averaged 2.42 goals per match since both Agada and fellow international newcomer Erik Thommy joined the starting lineup.

To say Agada has had an effect here is an understatement. His teammates certainly notice the difference: Felipe Hernandez called Agada’s joy infectious, and Ben Sweat, who assisted on Agada’s second goal against Portland Sunday, said Agada has fit well in Sporting’s locker room.

“When you have a new guy come in like that and he meshes right away, that’s what you want,” Sweat said. “It shows on the field. When you have a guy that’s making the runs, has the effort, to reward him at the end of the day benefits all of us.”

Agada said he’s learning from longtime Sporting teammates and MLS veterans Roger Espinoza and Johnny Russell, leaning on them for perspective and instruction. He credits that to a culture of respect instilled in him since childhood.

“You can learn from everyone, especially in this game of football,” Agada said. “You meet different people, especially big players like Roger, like Russell, these guys are top, experienced players.”

And when times get tough, Agada just reminds himself how far he’s come.

“Starting from home, playing in the grass, playing at school,” he said, “nobody knows you started to play in the ‘hood. You started to be someone that the coach wanted to use and now we are in MLS.

“It doesn’t matter what the situation is. But I feel like if you’re blessed, it’s inside you. Just bring it out.”

This story was originally published August 26, 2022 at 5:24 PM with the headline "How Willy Agada helped bring the ‘wow’ factor back to previously moribund Sporting KC."