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From Ikea clerk to agent for stars worth $200 million: Atta Aneke's journey
🇳🇴 Norway /Culture & Society

From Ikea clerk to agent for stars worth $200 million: Atta Aneke's journey

From Aftenposten · () Norwegian

Translated from Norwegian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Norwegian football agent Atta Aneke represents players worth nearly $200 million, a significant rise from his humble beginnings.
  • Aneke, who manages players like Antonio Nusa, believes a strong World Cup performance can transform a player's career.
  • He started his career from scratch, working at Ikea and managing a local football club before becoming a prominent agent.

Atta Aneke, once an Ikea employee, now represents Norwegian football stars with a combined market value of nearly two billion kroner (approximately $190 million). His journey from humble beginnings to becoming a top agent is a testament to his dedication and vision.

Aneke is currently in Dallas, Texas, to support the Norwegian national team in their World Cup Round of 16 match against Ivory Coast. He is the agent for rising star Antonio Nusa (21), as well as Patrick Berg (28), Fredrik Bjørkan (27), and Jens Petter Hauge (26).

You sit there with goosebumps, seeing players you've worked with for so many years play in a World Cup.

— Atta AnekeAneke expressed his emotional connection to seeing his clients compete on the world stage.

"You sit there with goosebumps, seeing players you've worked with for so many years play in a World Cup," Aneke told VG. He recalled first seeing Antonio Nusa play, noting the young player's resilience despite losing the ball multiple times. "If it were me then, I would have just thought: 'This is going to be a tough day.' Antonio, on the other hand, kept going again and again. You need a special mentality to be able to do that," Aneke said.

If it were me then, I would have just thought: 'This is going to be a tough day.' Antonio, on the other hand, kept going again and again. You need a special mentality to be able to do that.

— Atta AnekeAneke described the resilience of young player Antonio Nusa during a game.

Aneke began working with Nusa when he was very young, and similarly with Hauge and Berg at earlier stages of their careers. For nearly two decades, he has navigated the high-pressure world of football agency, managing a stable of 107 players. He emphasizes the immense impact a successful World Cup can have: "A good World Cup can change their entire careers. It's the biggest stage in the world for football players."

His path was not always glamorous. Aneke started without significant connections in football, working at Ikea and running a football club on a voluntary basis. He took over his father's club, Oslo City Fotballklubb, at 18, handling everything from sports management to washing jerseys. This experience led him to pursue football agency, initially offering to work for free and exaggerating his contacts in Nigeria. His breakthrough came when he discovered Odion Ighalo, who later got a trial with Lyn.

A good World Cup can change their entire careers. It's the biggest stage in the world for football players.

— Atta AnekeAneke highlighted the career-altering potential of performing well in the World Cup.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Aftenposten in Norwegian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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