For Atlanta United 2 defender Bradley Kamdem Fewo, the decision to come to Atlanta was an easy one. Fewo played against them last year while playing for Saint Louis FC and was immediately intrigued by their style of play.
“Last year was my first time, I had ever played against them, and I saw even how Atlanta United 2 their style of play and their trust in their system,” Kamdem Fewo said. “That was really nice to see for me. They trusted the way they were playing and still wanted to play their football which is the way I believe it should be played, and they stick by it.”
Kamdem Fewo had been following Atlanta since the MLS expansion team was first announced in 2014. Watching their success and growth attracted the Parisian born defender.
“I think Atlanta’s one of those teams where they quickly made a name for themselves around the world not just in the US,” Kamdem Fewo remembers. “When people talk about the MLS, they’re up there and they’ve attracted really big players.”
The lure of Atlanta was too much for Bradley to pass up. So when his agent called and told him Atlanta was interested, he knew immediately he wanted to play for them.
“Who’s gonna say no to Atlanta United, you know?” Kamdem Fewo said with a smile in his voice.
Although his time in Atlanta has been short, he has already found coffee shops he enjoys going to. But he hasn’t had a chance to explore much of the city yet.
“I haven’t done much yet honestly except for training. Preseason was not long ago, so I was too tired to do anything. So except for going to coffee shops and training,” Kamdem Fewo laments.
Since he can’t use this downtime to explore the city, he’s been filling his time with cooking, calling his family and trying to find ways to stay fit. Staying true to his roots, one of his favorite things to cook is beef bourguignon (a French wine sauce).
Kamdem Fewo grew up in France then moved to Canada as a kid. Then back and forth between Canada and France a few more times before coming to college in America. Soccer brought him some structure throughout all the moves. He’s been playing since before he could walk.
“Even before I started walking, [my dad] would kick me the ball,” Kamdem Fewo reminisces. “Then as soon as I was walking, I was playing. So as long as I remember, I’ve always played soccer. That’s all I remember.”
As he grew up and fell in love with the game, he knew he wanted to continue playing soccer and come to America to do it.
“I’d heard about in movies and it seemed cool — the American lifestyle and everything,” Kamdem Fewo said with a laugh. “I wanted to check it out.”
He says the biggest differences between North American and French soccer is the style of play and the infrastructure building up to support youths playing soccer.
“Now, the academies have gone forward a little bit. Even here, the complex they have here for the Academy and how they treat them is unbelievable,” Kamdem Fewo stated with awe. “I think that’s such a big step forward. I think it will only get better.”
As the infrastructure for youth soccer improves in America, Kamdem Fewo encourages children picking up the game to enjoy it and not put too much pressure on themselves. He feels blessed to be able to say that soccer is his job but hopes children will find their passion for the game because the rest will follow.
The last time he played against Atlanta, he remembers telling a teammate, “These guys, they play football the right way.” Kamdem Fewo quickly explains, “Not the right way, but the way I feel it should be played. The football that I enjoy.”
Now he suits up for The Five Stripes, playing the game he has loved since before he could walk.
