At the all-German final match of the 2012/2013 UEFA Champions League at the Wembley Stadium, London, some people may have noticed the Nigerian flag on the pitch as a television camera briefly captured it. David Olatokunbo Alaba, the ace of the Bayern Munich defence was the player that gave Nigeria a little mention in what is easily the most followed continental league in the world.





It is a well known fact that Alaba has his roots in Nigeria. He has however not publicly manifested the African roots in him until the cameras caught him with the Nigerian flag. He is one of the star players the country has lost to other lands, perhaps for ever.





His father, George Alaba, is a Nigerian from Ogere in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State. The mother, Gina, is a former Filipino nurse. Alaba was born in Vienna Austria thus three continents of Africa, Asia and Europe as well as three countries (Nigeria, Philippines and Austria) and three cultures are united in him.





So, as a footballer, he was qualified to play of any of Nigeria, Philippines and Austria. He opted for the latter; the country of his birth and Vienna is his native town. A German website quoted his 51 year old father as a prince of Ogere. “I am a prince and my uncle is the king (oba) of the village Ogere-Remo which is near Lagos and has 60,000 residents”.





George Alaba is reportedly to have tried to convey to the footballer, the best parts of the three continents from which David Alaba has roots. One may ask, what is African in David Alaba? Hear the father: “I would say his ambition. And he has a great will. Yes, that is very African”. What is Austrian in him? “His discipline” says the father. “He always works on himself. He is very hard working. What quality did he pick from his Filipino mother? “Beauty in all he does. His mother was a former Filipino beauty queen”.





David Alaba’s career reads like a fairy tale. His father had arrived Austria from Nigeria as 24 year old and could not speak a word of German (which is the official language in Austria). He had to first learn the language before enrolling for Economics and Business Administration at Vienna University of Economics.





He later deviated into music and became a rapper and then a DJ. He later got Austrian citizenship and became the first black to be in the Austrian Army. He made headlines in the Austrian media as the first black soldier.Just as the father holds a record, so also is the son. At 17 years, eight months and eight days, David became Bayern’s youngest ever player in a competitive fixture.





At 17 years eight months and 13 days, he made his UEFA Champions League debut against ACF Fiorentina on March 9, 2010. He made his debut for Austria in the game against France on October 14, 2009 at 17 years 112 days, beating Hans Buzek’s previous mark of 17 years, 161 days. David thus becoming the youngest player in Austrian national team history.





He could have played for Nigeria, especially the 2007 Golden Eaglets side that won the world title in South Korea. But he claimed he was misled on his eligibility. His father had been an admirer of Nigeria’s former captain, Sunday Oliseh when he was with FC Koln in Germany.





David also reportedly admired another former Super Eagles’ striker, Victor Agali at Hansa Rostock. But there was never a conscious attempt to get him play for Nigeria. Rather it was the country of his mother, Philippines that made efforts to get him.





His father confirmed in an interview with a German journalist, Gerald Kleffmann that the Philippines football association wrote him twice. “But he would always play for Austria. This is his home where he has experienced everything and spent his childhood. His friends are also in the national team”, said George Alaba.





He will be 21 in 19 days time. Yet, he has already attracted so much attention that even Bayern veterans like Karl-Heinz Rummenigge amazed with what coolness David has when taking penalty in last year’s semi-final of UEFA Champions League in a situation where international stars like Cristiano Ronaldo failed.





On David’s mental strength to score his penalty in front of 80,000 spectators, the father remarked: “the power that David retrieves every week is amazing even for me. He said that he recognized his son’s exceptional talent was when the player was three years old.





“I then went to run regularly. David always wanted to run with me. I myself was amazed at how he could run without getting tired.





“Later, he was always out in the yard with the ball. He has always collected together the other children to play football. Once he was captain, then coach or goalie coach. In elementary school David then played for the first time in the school team. At age nine, he came to FC Aspern (Vienna Danube city)”





He is indeed a thorough-bred product of the European youth football programme. He started out in Bayern's youth system, playing for the U-17 and U-19 teams, before being promoted to the reserve team in the 2009-10 season.





In January 2010, it was announced that Alaba would train with the first team for the rest of the 2009–10 season, along with reserve team-mates Diego Contento and Mehemet Ekici.





The trio were named on the first-team substitutes' bench for the first time on February 10, 2010, for a DFB-Polka game against SpVgg Greuther Furth and Alaba came on in the 59th minute, replacing Christian Lell.





After one minute on the pitch, and with his second touch of the game, he set up Frank Ribery to give Bayern a 3–2 lead, in a match they went on to win 6–2. He also became Bayern's youngest ever player in a competitive fixture, at 17 years, 7 months and 8 days old.





In January 2011, Alaba joined TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on loan until the end of the 2010–11 season. Later that month he scored his first ever goal in the Bundesliga in a 2–2 draw with FC St. Pauli.





Alaba returned to Bayern at the start of the 2011–12 season, where he became a regular member of the first team squad. On 23 October 2011, Alaba scored his first league goal for Bayern in the 1–2 away loss against Hannover 96. During the second half of the 2011–12 Bundesliga season, he established himself as a starter for Bayern. On 25 April 2012, he played in the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid, and scored Bayern's first kick of the shootout as they won 3–1 on penalties. However, due to being booked in the semi final, Alaba was unable to play in the2012 UEFA Champions League Final through suspension.





In April this year, Alaba scored the seventh-fastest goal (25.02 seconds) in the Champions League history to set Bayern on their way to a 2–0 win over Juventus. Last month, he played the full 90 minutes at left-back as Bayern beat Borussia Dortmund 2–1 in the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final.





His Nigerian father spoke with European journalists, Ida Metzger,





Your son is definitely a nice guy, everyone says at Bayern.

Alaba: Oh yes. I am very proud of him. He radiates as much in me, which is nice.





How did he get to Bayern?

Alaba: When David played with Austria Vienna at a youth game in Tyrol, Mr. Werner Kern, the youth leader of Bayern was there. He observed and discovered David. That was at the U17, David was only 15 In 2007 he played at the Premier Cup in Manchester, only the world's best youth teams participate there. He played great in Manchester. The course was on.





And why he went to Bayern?

Alaba: Bayern Munich has simply taken care of him more than the others. There are just as many benefits from our side. The language is familiar, and Munich is not far.





Does David have siblings?

Alaba: Oh yes. A sister, Rosemaie. This is Rosemarie, without the letter ‘r’. She sings. She has a great voice and plays guitar and piano. Her music is being produced by my former producer.





To get to know your son, it would be helpful to know something about you. Your life is so exciting run...

Alaba: Yes, I came as a student to Austria. I had a classmate in Nigeria. His uncle worked at the UN in Vienna. He invited both of us to Vienna. I stayed and had studied Business Administration and Economics at the university. But I did not finish Economics. I focused more on the music.





But the story is that you came to seek political asylum?

Alaba: Asylum? No, never (laughs out loud).





How then did you get Austrian citizenship?

Alaba: I was even in the army. I'm Austrian. If you stay longer than ten years of living here, you can get the pass. I was in the Guard. There you have to conduct training for conscripts, for eight months. Then I became a corporal. That was great. There was a documentary about me.





Why?

Alaba: I was the first black man in the Guards, together with a friend. It fits so. My son is also always the first: the youngest player here, the youngest there, a high-flyer.





The music is your passion, you work at night as a DJ. How could you educate a completely different rhythm of life your son?

Alaba: Of course we always had a lot of planning. If he has trained, I have been resting. And before games as I sleep in the car.





In the car? In the parking lot?

Alaba: Yes. I sleep in the car, and then my wife knocks on the window and wakes me up. Then I look in the rest of the game. And then I go back home and sleep before work again. It's hard, but we just work hard, that's no problem. I have always taken the time for David and encouraged him.





Franck Ribery is regarded as a good friend of your son. Have you ever met him?

Alaba: When I'm in Munich, Ribery David often gets off to dinner. But this friendship I hold myself out because I do not want to intrude. That's why I never called.





How would you describe your relationship with your son?

Alaba: I am a father, but also a friend to him. And I thank David that he listens to my advice. He is a very obedient son.





Is it true that David was not allowed into the night clubs where you work?

Alaba: He must not come. He was there once. But he knows that's a different level, a different world. He once came with his friends. But it does not interest him so much.





Do you have a solid club where you can hang up, or different?

Alaba: I currently work only in the Beverly Hills Club. The club is a nightclub in conjunction with Gogo.





When did you notice that David has talent?

Alaba: Since he was young. He has always played in the yard and on the playground with children every day. Then he came to the school and has played there. Other parents saw him, and were instantly amazed at how he played football. They asked: Does David have a club? David then came with ten to his first club. Late, many say, is not it? But the talent has always been there. He has always played in the yard and such.





When did you notice he could make a career as a professional?

Alaba: I've wished and hoped me. But that precedes it so quickly is surprising. We have always prayed that it makes its way to the top.





David also had inquiries from Manchester, Liverpool ...

Alaba: ... from anywhere.



