Nigeria U20 international central defender Benjamin Fredrick has cited Real Madrid icon Sergio Ramos as his role model. 

The 18-year-old arrived at Brentford at the end of August, signing a loan deal until the end of the 2023-2024 season, with the Bees holding an option to sign him permanently from parent club Simoiben FC.

Twenty six days after Brentford announced his signing, Fredrick  made his debut for the B team in a 2-0 loss to non leaguers Wingate & Finchley in the first round of the London Senior Cup, before making back-to-back appearances in the Premier League Cup against Burnley and Leicester City.

In his heyday, Ramos was widely regarded as the best central defender in the world, a great captain and leader who helped Real Madrid to win four Champions League titles and La Liga on five occasions.

The 2010 World Cup winner is now plying his trade at hometown club Sevilla after spending two seasons at French giants Paris Saint-Germain.

Explaining why he bases his game off Ramos, Fredrick said to Brentford's official website: "I look up to Sergio Ramos, he’s my role model. I love his mentality on the pitch and off the pitch.

"When I’m on the pitch I always want to play like Ramos … because his mentality on the pitch, he hates losing. I hate losing, I always want to win."

Fredrick has praised Super Eagles midfielder and Brentford first teamer Frank Onyeka for helping him adapt to life in west London. 

"He (Onyeka) told me a lot about the club, he told me I need to work hard, he told me the club is a good club, it’s like a family and I’ve seen it since I’ve been here."

Fredrick was a key member of the Nigeria squad to the 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations and Fifa U20 World Cup, helping the Flying Eagles keep seven clean sheets in eleven appearances combined. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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