WATCH Amadou Onana corrects Euro 2024 mixed zone journalist's faux-pas and displays remarkable English accent

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The Belgium and Everton midfielder quite rightly objected to being called by the name of Manchester United goalkeeper Andre

Amadou Onana
Amadou Onana plays for Everton, and is not to be confused with Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana (Image credit: Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)

Belgium’s Amadou Onana quite understandably hit back at a journalist in the mixed zone for mistakenly calling him ‘Andre’ when attempting to ask a question – once again drawing some marvelling at his English accent in the process.

The unfortunate reporter committed the faux pas following Belgium’s surprise defeat to Slovakia in their first game at Euro 2024, which is pretty much the worst time you could ever mix one player’s name up with another’s: Onana’s namesake Andre of course plays in goal for Manchester United and represents Cameroon.

Onana cut the question off to respond: “Andre’s not even my name mate…do you know what I mean?”, before turning to another nearby journalist and accepting a question from them instead.

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The very London-sounding reply, juxtaposed with Onana having just finished answering a question in another language, provoked a stunned response even from fellow Belgians.

However, this is far from the first time Everton’s Senegal-born midfielder has surprised people with an accent indistinguishable from having been born and raised in the UK, despite the fact that he only moved to the country in 2022.

Everton fans noted his accent when he moved to Goodison Park two years ago, and Onana has since shown off his ability to slip into Scouse should the need arise, though we are a bit unclear as to exactly what situation that might be.

English is one of five languages Onana speaks, alongside Wolof, French, Dutch and German. Six, we suppose, if you also count Scouse.

More Euro 2024 stories

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We also have a list of the Euro 2024 favourites, with best odds on nations to win European Championship in Germany, while these are the best Euros games ever and these are the best pundits ever.

Steven Chicken
Steven Chicken

Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.