Features
Harvey Elliott is a new wave baller in New Balance
It’s no understatement to say that playing for Liverpool – especially Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool – is a dream millions of football fans hope to experience in their lifetime.
At just 19, Harvey Elliott is living that dream.
A childhood Red, the teenager has now made 58 appearances for his boyhood club at the time of writing, with the last coming in his impressive performance against Manchester United which saw Klopp’s side hand United their worst defeat in the club’s history with Elliott a key component in that.
Despite the demands on his shoulders for someone so young, the Chertsey-born baller isn’t phased by outside pressure. “I don’t actually think about it, to be honest,” says Elliott, who is sitting with his arms laid across both directions of the navy living room sofa in the local Airbnb we’re meeting in; further proving the point of his relaxed demeanour.
“You’re so in the moment, trying to give it your all and work as hard as you can, you don’t really have the time to think of these things, but when you reflect and you actually think and take things into consideration, it’s a crazy life at such a young age,” Elliott admits. “I’m enjoying every bit of it and loving every moment.”
Harvey Elliott wears a New Balance NB Essentials Coaches Jacket. Photography by Kieran Clarke.
Since the win over United, many in the media – including Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra – have discussed the pressure of playing at Anfield as an opposition player. The general consensus from those discussions is that any display of weakness will be punished by not just the Liverpool players, but the Anfield faithful too. This being something Elliott agrees with.
“I think you just need to be there to understand it,” he says on the atmosphere at Anfield, which has helped deliver numerous unforgettable nights during Klopp’s tenure alone.
“You have to see it for yourself. It’s one of a kind, to say the least. Everyone knows that Liverpool fans are the best in the world so the atmosphere is always going to be a madness from the get-go and that’s definitely what I’ve experienced.”
Whilst his talent with a ball at his feet is undeniable, Elliott is also part of a new wave of ballers showing a different side to themselves through their interest in fashion. Though the rise of football x fashion continues to reach new heights and gauge huge interest from young football fans online, it also comes with its doubters who still believe athletes should focus on one thing and one thing only: football.
Harvey Elliott wears New Balance 2002R Protection Pack Pink sneakers. Photography by Kieran Clarke.
“People assume we’re like robots, you know? We just play football and that’s it,” the Liverpool midfielder says on the criticism placed on himself and his peers. “Some people may not like it, some people may think it’s wrong but at the end of the day, everyone is human.”
“If someone else was doing it, no one would say a thing but when it’s a footballer, they say we’re not focused enough or we’re focusing on something else. It’s our life and we just want to express ourselves and enjoy it.”
This belief being a huge factor towards Elliott’s decision to join New Balance in 2021 as an 18-year-old. The Boston-born brand has been making waves since its entrance into the football scene in recent years, using its ever-growing roster of talents including Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Sadio Mané (Bayern Munich), Timothy Weah (Lille) and Elliott himself to hit Gen-Z audiences. Not only that, the brand has encouraged the self-expression of players both on and off the pitch at a time when others have kept their dealings with players strictly to performance-related activations.
Whilst competitor brands have found themselves getting overly comfortable in recent years, Elliott believes it has only played to the advantage of New Balance in forming a new approach to marketing football’s superstars of today. “I feel like New Balance is different to other brands right now,” he tells me whilst rocking an all-black tracksuit graced with the NB logo.
Harvey Elliott wears and holds New Balance 550 trainers. Photography by Shane Bain.
“It’s got a story behind it and there’s a philosophy with the brand. I think they’re going down a path that some of the other brands can’t compete with, hence why people are steering towards the New Balance wave. Some of the brands that were popular before are losing ideas whereas New Balance stay coming up with fresh ideas.”
On his experience since becoming a part of the New Balance family, Elliott is just as complimentary: “It’s been amazing. From the beginning, New Balance as a brand have been unbelievable to me. They’ve helped me in so many situations and allowed me to experience so many opportunities which is something I’ll be forever thankful for. It’s exciting to be a part of the family and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Like many players before him – including fellow New Balance athlete Weah – Elliott shares the belief that self-expression off the pitch only enhances performance on the pitch as an athlete, a point that many critics are happy to blindly ignore. “I go by if you feel good, you play good, which is something I always take into consideration,” he tells me.
“For me, with fashion, it’s about enjoying it. You work hard and at the end of the day, you need to treat yourself. I don’t mind putting a few outfits on here and there but sometimes, I won’t do too much. I’ll post something and then delete it a few months later but if it’s a going out day, for food or something like that, I don’t miss the opportunity [to drip].”
A new wave baller in New Balance. Photography by Shane Bain.
From hairstyles dating back to his Fulham days to big fits as a Premier League regular, Elliott’s preference to stand out from those around him has always been clear. Whilst many admit their fashion inspiration comes from external sources, Elliott’s self-confidence allows him to find inspiration from within in his mission to be unique on the fashion front.
“I think my inspiration comes from myself, to be honest,” the 19-year-old reveals. “It’s the same with the way I play, I want to be different to other people, I want to express myself by doing different things and wearing different things.”
“I feel like more and more people are getting into expressing themselves differently and putting on other things. If you look at the NBA for example, there are so many crazy ideas and outfits out there, so I think the NBA is a big influence on the world in terms of fashion because they’re on the world stage.”
“It’s different in football, we wear the club tracksuits and we’re not allowed to wear our own clothes yet but it’s just about being different and expressing myself.”
Harvey Elliott in Liverpool. Photography by Shane Bain.
Whilst the NBA still reigns supreme on the topic of stylish athletes, football is slowly but surely beginning to make a case for itself as a sport in the best-dressed department. From Moise Kean to Jules Koundé, the game now holds unique personalities off the pitch that resemble the characters seen in U.S. culture dating back to the days of Allen Iverson, whose persistence on being himself led to the NBA introducing a dress code in 2005.
“There’s a few ballers who really think about it and fair play to them because some of them look good,” Elliott says on the rise of fashion interest amongst players. “I think Joe Willock is a really good influence. One key one was Héctor Bellerín and I feel that still now,” Elliott says on the Sporting defender, who is widely regarded as a pioneer of the football x fashion niche.
“He’s still smashing it too. I think it all depends on what you like. Someone might wear something and one group may not like it but another do, so it just depends on what you like. There’s definitely a few ballers that stand out.”
Like their love for fashion, music is also becoming a growing interest amongst ballers with the likes of Memphis Depay, Rafael Leão and Alphonso Davies now dropping their own tracks showcasing their lyrical ability to fans. For Elliott, he’s happy to stick to just listening to music for now. “I can jump on the aux yeah, absolutely! The microphone? Not so much,” he laughs.
Harvey Elliott wears a New Balance NB AT Spinnex Vest. Photography by Shane Bain.
I respond by asking him for one fellow baller he wouldn’t let on the aux. Elliott grins as the answer enters his mind. “This is a tough question because I don’t want to ruin any friendships, to be honest,” he laughs. “I feel like I just need to say this though because I feel like a few people are thinking it,” he says grinning once more.
“On the way to games, Adrián has the speaker on the bus and he has these mad remixes which ruin the actual song,” Elliott says on the Liverpool shot-stopper. “Fair play to him because he keeps giving it a go each and every game. No matter what anyone says, he always plays it so you have to give him credit but he’s definitely the easiest one to say.”
Whilst Adrián’s remixes aren’t likely to find themselves at the top of Elliott’s Spotify wrapped this year, like many ballers and people his age, Travis Scott and Lil Baby are. “My music taste is weird, I can go from liking certain artists to then not liking them and it goes on. I can name one artist this month and in a few months time, I’ll say another,” Elliott admits.
“I think my favourite right now is Travis Scott. He’s someone that I’ve listened to from early and I can never get enough of him, so I’d say Travis. I’ve liked Playboi Carti for a good couple of years now and he’s another I’ll definitely keep listening to.”
The youngest are in charge. Photography by Shane Bain.
“My most played album? My Turn by Lil Baby. I think when that first came out, I was in my Lil Baby era, so I was just constantly playing his songs and you know when it comes up with your stats on Spotify, My Turn was my most listened by far.”
Though Elliott is regularly reminded of his status for someone so young, including numerous times in our conversation, he strays far from the characteristics a 19-year-old playing for one of the biggest clubs in world football could and possibly should.
He speaks beyond his years in each response with a maturity that many older than him are still yet to find and upon his entrance, his intent on greeting everyone individually with a handshake and smile followed with a ‘how are you?’ is a small but meaningful touch from one of the biggest rising stars in the game.
Whilst some say there’s a fine line between self-confidence and arrogance, Elliott seems to disprove such a theory. His confidence within and faith in his journey so far has enabled him to be himself around people, without any need to portray something bigger and better. That self-confidence is something he puts his success down to.
“For me personally, self-confidence and self-belief are key,” Elliott says on what advice he’d give to others.
“If you don’t have belief in yourself then you won’t be able to feel like you can achieve anything. That’s something I take a long way. Sometimes it’s hard with different situations in life and when you’re not always feeling 100%, but maintaining that self-belief can take you a long way and help you keep striving towards your goals.”
In partnership with: New Balance Football
Photography by: Shane Bain and Kieran Clarke
Styled by: Harvey Elliott himself
‘Surely with hardship comes ease’ – Surah Ash-Sharh (94:5-6)
They often say you are a product of your environment. But Oday Dabbagh is living proof that you can embrace the experience of different cultures while being a powerful representative of your nation. We sat down with the 26-year-old Palestinian striker to delve deeper into his journey so far, the importance of authentic representation, self-expression through different mediums, faith, and much more.
Oday Dabbagh rose to global acclaim during his recent loan spell at Aberdeen, making the move to Scotland in the January transfer window earlier this year. The move proved fruitful for the striker as he ended the season a champion, lifting the Scottish Cup. His form has since earned him a summer move to Egyptian powerhouse, Zamalek SC, swapping the Scottish Highlands for the Cairo sun.
(Jack Rowley)
Born and raised in the Old City in Jerusalem, Dabbagh reflects on his childhood with great fondness. “It was a beautiful childhood. Since I was young, I used to play football in the alleys of the old town, and my relationship with my family was wonderful. I will say, they cared more about studying than football, but we found a compromise in the end.” [laughs]
A keen footballer from the very beginning, Dabbagh was one of many Palestinian children playing football with their friends at any opportune moment. Given the nation’s passion for the game, I was curious to learn more about why football plays such a big role in Palestinian culture.
“I think globally, this sport is so important because it really brings people together – fans, teams, players, countries. For us, it gives our people an incredible sense of pride. But beyond that, sport is powerful because it’s a gateway to build bridges.”
For Oday Dabbagh, football was that bridge, allowing him to play the sport he loves professionally. Despite typical Arab familial expectations on pursuing education, which I’m sure many of us can relate to, Oday’s breakthrough into the professional game came while he was just a teenager.
(Hussein Mardini – 3XV Sports)
“It was a wonderful feeling. I was very motivated to show my abilities, and that experience was the start of everything for me. That launched me into the Palestine U-18 Youth National Team Championship. To be honest, I didn’t expect to reach that stage at the time. I think I’ve always focused on working hard in the moment rather than anticipating what could be or what could come next. That mindset probably reduced the pressure on me.”
Making his professional debut in the Palestinian domestic league for Hilal Al-Quds at 16, he then guided the club to three consecutive West Bank Premier League titles. And became the league’s top goalscorer in 2019, bagging 16 goals.
Staunchly determined to succeed, Oday’s domestic exploits meant the youngster was garnering attention across both Europe and the Middle East, with the then-20-year-old opting to make the move to Kuwait. In the face of European interest, one would assume that it would be the most desirable option, but once again Dabbagh displays the level-headedness that has held him in good stead thus far in his career.
“I chose Kuwait because it was my first professional experience, and I wanted to adapt in an Arab country first. It turned out to be a really good decision that prepared me for Europe later.”
View this post on Instagram
Despite the elation of securing his first professional contract abroad, Oday admits to having mixed feelings about leaving home. “My feelings were mixed… joy, sadness, and fear. But once you get on the plane, those feelings disappear because you know you’re going toward your goal and you have to achieve it. Of course, I missed my family and friends, and that was difficult. But I learned a lot, and it only strengthened my dedication to my dream.”
Since making the move to Kuwait, Oday has played in six different countries, and he can’t speak highly enough of the experiences he’s had, particularly the impact it has had on developing his style.
“I’m really happy I played in so many countries. I learned new cultures, met new people, and picked up different styles of football. It made me adaptable. With style, each place has its own identity, but you also get this mix of cultures from other players – music, fashion, food, language… That has shaped me a lot, on and off the pitch.”
(@IMAGO)
Thriving at club level, Oday’s most prolific achievements have come on the international stage. Representing Palestine, the striker has gone from strength to strength with the “Lions of Canaan,” becoming the nation’s all-time top scorer with 16 goals in 45 appearances. Not only is he putting the nation on his back on the pitch, but Oday is a proud ambassador of his Palestinian identity, as he doubles down on how important the role is to him.
“I believe that this did not come out of nowhere; it came as a result of continuous work and commitment. I am truly proud to be a representative of my country, and I certainly thank every person who supported me or helped me to reach this level. It is a great thing to be an ambassador for your country.”
But football isn’t the only medium through which the 26-year-old chooses to express himself. A self-proclaimed fashion head, Oday’s style is equally versatile and experimental. Perhaps that may come as no surprise, given the melting-pot of experiences he’s had playing in six different countries.
(Hussein Mardini – 3XV Sports)
Most importantly, Oday firmly believes in the power of fashion as a vehicle of self-expression and identity, “It’s very powerful. It gives us the space to be ourselves and to show the moments and experiences we’ve picked up along the way.”
Not only does he represent his identity through football and fashion, but his very name pays homage to the culture he holds most dear. Names possess significant meaning in Palestinian culture, and so with that in mind, I asked Oday what his name means, to which he said: “Adi is an old Arabic name that means ‘running’ or a ‘fast enemy.’ Quite ironic, when one considers his attributes on the field, with speed and tenacity key hallmarks of his game.
‘Surely with hardship comes ease’ – Surah Ash-Sharh (94:5-6)
A powerful verse from the Quran that serves as a reminder that every difficulty is accompanied with relief, and even in difficult situations, there are blessings and ease.
With hardship an inevitability in football, it is crucial to bounce back from tough situations, and I was keen to explore how Oday motivates himself during periods of difficulty in the game.
“I tell myself that I am here to achieve a goal, and I cannot give up. And that is how I overcome difficulties. I talk to myself and motivate myself every time. Then I have my family, faith, and a deeper dream to make a difference. I do want to inspire young players. And when I remind myself of all of these things, I never stop pushing forward.”
(Palestine National Team)
At just 26, Oday Dabbagh’s story is far from over; from making his mark domestically, to securing his first professional contract and leaving home at just 20, to now being the face of the franchise for his national team.
As he settles into the lively city of Cairo, surrounded by history, the forward has not once forgotten his roots. Motivated by his hardships, a determination to make his family proud, and fulfil his goals, Oday is fast “running” to the top as one of the most influential figures in the game, transcending the boundaries of football, fashion, and identity, not to mention the “fast enemy” being a constant thorn in the side of opposition defences.
After reflecting for the vast majority of this conversation, it seemed poignant to conclude by looking ahead, asking Oday what he would like his legacy to be.
“That I gave it my all on and off the pitch, and that I took that, and used it to make an impact for the next generation. And that next generation did the same.”
Forever selfless, Oday Dabbagh is an inspiration and a role model, determined to use his growing profile to embrace his identity and advocate against injustice. Dabbagh’s career thus far has been remarkable, but his story has just begun.
As he celebrates his 28th birthday, Marcus Rashford will no doubt be aiming to push on after his strong start to the season, racking up 11 goals and assists in just 11 starts. But while Rashy invariably looks forward, we decided to look back, paying homage to the work he’s done and the impact he’s had, especially off the pitch.
The Mancunian burst onto the scene back in 2016, introducing himself to the Old Trafford faithful with a brace in the Europa League against Midtjylland. That same week, Rashy bagged yet another brace, this time in the Premier League against Arsenal. Destined for greatness, the path hasn’t always been smooth, but one thing is for certain: Marcus Rashford is the voice of the streets.
More than a footballer, Rashford never forgets his roots. Not only did he force a government U-turn during the COVID pandemic over free school meals, but he has also built libraries in primary schools across the UK and consistently supported his former primary school in Wythenshawe. Not to mention linking up with Carl Anka to write inspirational books for children.
From books to the booth, it’s no secret Rashy rocks with Lil Baby – just look at the EFL Cup celebrations in 2023 with Jadon Sancho. MBE has also linked up with DBE, as well as fellow Mancuinian Meekz. After a tough few years, Rashford has been ‘DUE4AWIN’ for a while, and he’s running it back in style this season.
Coming a long way from matching fits with Jesse Lingard, Rashford knows how to put it on. But after making a stand for what’s right, and giving back to those less fortunate, a situation Rashford can personally relate to, the pendulum of favour shifted. Despite his positive contributions, his charitable work has often been weaponised against him, in response to normal fluctuations in form. As layering chains, and supporting the next generation of underprivileged children, became seemingly incompatible.
The backlash he faced after his trip to watch the New York Knicks last November, epitomises the intense scrutiny players face when simply expressing themselves, as most of the discourse challenged his professionalism and used his outfit as justification of said criticism.
First and foremost, Rashford looked fly as hell in his LV hoodie and chains, not to mention the dope gold grillz. But most importantly, why is it being used against him when he is entitled to rock whatever drip he wants to? The whole narrative in mainstream media around black footballers and black athletes in general when it comes to self-expression needs to be questioned.
There is a fine line between criticism and personal attacks, and it often feels as though the discourse is targeted at Marcus the person rather than Rashford the footballer.
Granted his form during the trip wasn’t the best but he would be the first to admit that. Ultimately, you can criticise his efficacy on the pitch, but a line must be drawn.
In a time of increased mental health awareness within football, the media must be held responsible for their persistent efforts to challenge his integrity as a human being. Rashford has made some mistakes, and he will likely continue to make them, but what individual in their twenties hasn’t? Whenever the media discusses Marcus Rashford, they mention his wages, cars, and clothes. Yet, there is complete silence when it comes to his positive work.
From 39, to 19, to 10, Rashford is on his way back to being number 1. Whether he’s backstage at DBE concerts or linking up with Prince William, Rashford has always been more than a footballer. A cultural icon for his playing style, philanthropy, and positive impact, it’s time we appreciated what he has achieved at a young age.
In the words of Marcus Rashford: “If you back me, good. If you doubt me, even better.”
Happy Birthday, Rashy.