Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo has revealed the spiritual support that played a crucial role in his impressive season with AFC Bournemouth, highlighting the impact of regular pre-match prayers with a pastor.
Semenyo enjoyed a standout campaign in the Premier League, netting 11 goals and contributing five assists.
His performances not only made him a key figure for Bournemouth but also attracted interest from top European clubs, including Manchester United and Liverpool.
In an interview with Showmax, the Black Stars striker shared how he connected with a pastor through former Bournemouth teammate Junior Stanislas, who is a season ticket holder of the club.
“Yeah, a season ticket holder. Do you know what’s so funny? I met him through one of the players—he used to be here, Junior Stanislas. I was just looking for a church, and he passed me his number. I started speaking with him, I got a good vibe from him, and he told me that he’s a season ticket holder. He comes to the games and watches us,” Semenyo said.
As their relationship grew, Semenyo decided to embrace his faith more openly, initiating a pre-match ritual of prayer with the pastor.
“And over time, he started to build a little connection, and I thought, I want to show my faith to the world. It’s important to me. So I proposed the idea of him praying with me before the games. Everyone’s intrigued to see what’s going down. But yeah, I just want to share my faith with the world.
“So he would come over to this little part here, and then we just pray it out—just give me that protection in the game, the Holy Spirit to lead me to goals, keep me injury-free. And yeah, it’s all off-the-cuff freestyle, really,” he added.
The 24-year-old credits this spiritual support with helping him stay focused and injury-free throughout the season.
With such a breakout year, Semenyo’s stock is on the rise, and he could be on the move this summer if interest from elite clubs materialises.