Hugo Ekitike: Shy. Very shy. I have changed this. Nice, same as now. And passionate with football.

Kelly: At what point did football enter your life or has it always been there?

Hugo: I think football is just my whole life. I just did football. Even when I talk with my brothers, most of the time it's football. That is just my passion and I just love what I do. At the moment, it is the only thing on my mind, and since I was young.

Kelly: You just mentioned your brothers - are they your earliest memory of football, playing with them?

Hugo: They are not good at football! We all love football but we just randomly played in the street and I have always been playing outside. I remember also [playing] at school. I kind of played it everywhere when I was young - that is my memories of football.

Kelly: When did you realise you were better than your brothers at football?

Hugo: Not only my brothers but my cousin was playing football. They were playing for fun in teams and stuff but they didn't reach the top level. But my family love football and we share the same passion. It didn't work for them but they live the dream through me.

Kelly: Have you always been a forward?

Hugo: I have always been an offensive player. When I was younger, I was smaller so I was a winger, but around 16-21 I grew and now I am too long! That is why I went in the middle - a centre-forward.

Kelly: Too long? I don't think you can be too long as a striker...

Hugo: Not too long, but obviously I am tall. I think Cody [Gakpo] is the only tall winger I know.

Kelly: Can you remember the name of the first team you played for and what do you remember from playing there?

Hugo: Cormontreuil. I remember that was the club from my area so it wasn't that serious. We just went on the pitch, no warm-up, we just played games. I was very young. I started when I was four and a half so at that time I was just learning the basics. I went to football to have fun. It was not serious. It was good times.

Kelly: Can you name anyone, like a coach, who has guided you or had the biggest impact on your career?

Hugo: I remember the name of my first coach - Rodolf. He was the one who brought me to Cormontreuil when I was young. Where I was from, I was in the centre for kids because my mum was working. He brought me to the team. When I was in Paris, I came back because I have my name somewhere in the football club. We don't talk much but I remember him and if I go home one day, I will go to say 'hi'.

Hugo Ekitike: Liverpool forward in his own words