Divock Origi is a footballer whose calm demeanour and knack for scoring crucial goals “Origi Goals” made him a fan favourite, especially under the leadership of Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool. While the world knows him for his iconic goals, especially in big moments, his journey to the top is rooted in something deeper—family, legacy, and a passion for the game that was passed down to him.
Hero in the Shadows: Divock Origi’s Journey to Becoming Football’s Secret Weapon
Born to Linda Adhiambo and Mike Origi, Divock grew up in the shadow of his father, a professional footballer who played for KV Oostende in the Belgian Pro League. Football was in his blood, and young Divock was determined to learn and follow in his father’s footsteps, not just to continue a legacy but to make it his own. His journey began in Houthalen-Oost, a quiet municipality in the Belgian province of Limburg, where his dreams started to take shape.
This is the story of Divock Origi—how a boy from a football family grew into a man known for his game-changing goals, rising to fame in the world of football while honouring the dreams his father started long ago.
Divock Origi Childhood Story – Early Life and Family Background:
For Biography starters, he bears the full name Divock Okoth Origi. Divock was born on the 18th day of April 1995 at Ostend in Belgium. The Soccer Athlete was the second of three children born to his mother, Linda Adhiambo, and to his father, Mike Origi.
Meet Divock Origi’s Parents – his lookalike Dad (Mike Origi) and beautiful Mum (Linda Adhiambo).
Studies show that Mike and Linda Origi are Kenyan nationals with a passion for sports. They welcomed their son, Divock, while Mike was actively playing professional football for KV Oostende in the Belgian Pro League.
As a result, Divock was raised in the nearby municipality of Houthalen-Oost, where he grew up with his older sister, Natasha, and younger sister, Deneen.
In Houthalen-Oost, Divock, a dual national of Belgium and Kenya with Kenyan-Luo roots, quickly showed that he had inherited his family’s passion for football.
“Football was already in the house as soon as he started walking. He would often kick the balls around in the house and the garden,”
Mike reminisced about his son’s early fascination with the game.
Divock Origi Family Facts:
Divock Origi was born into a sports-loving family. We bring you factual details about his immediate and extended family.
About Divock Origi’s father:
Mike Okoth Origi is the father of the forward. He was born on the 16th of November 1967 in Nairobi, Kenya. Unlike his son, Mike started out as a goalkeeper and turned into a striker for Shabana in the Kenyan Super League.
He later secured a move to the Belgian club, KV Oostende in 1992 and 3 years later, welcomed the birth of his first boy and second child, Divock. Widely believed to be the first Kenyan footballer to play in Europe, Mike has been both a father and mentor to his son, who admired him for his true devotion to football.
“When I was Kid, I could see my dad had a lot of discipline, and in football, when you give everything to the game, the game will always give something back.”
Said Divock of his father’s influential bearing.
Young Divock with his father, Mike.
The father and son maintain a very close relationship, with Mike putting up supporting appearances at most of Divock’s games to cheer him up.
Mike Okoth’s love for his son is like a camera lens, always focused and unyielding, capturing every moment and supporting him through every game.
About Divock Origi’s mother:
Linda Adhiambo is Divock Origi’s mother, and she shares a close bond with her only son. Her support and pride in his achievements have distinguished her among mothers in both Kenya and Belgium, as his heroics and exemplary conduct shine brightly.
About Divock Origi Siblings:
Origi’s siblings include Natasha and Deneen. Natasha is the eldest of the siblings. She grew up with Origi, who shared his football aspirations with her. She also has a daughter – Maliya, who is Origi’s niece. Deneen, on the other hand, is Origi’s younger sister and one of his biggest fans.
Left-Right: Divock’s father, Mike; his younger sister – Deneen; older sister -Natasha, with daughter Maliya; Divock’s mother, Linda; and Divock himself.
About Divock Origi’s Relations:
Away from Origi’s immediate relations are his uncles Austin, Gerald and Anthony, who played professional football in different leagues. Divock also has a cousin, Arnold Origi, who plays professional football as a goalkeeper for Lillestrom and the Kenya national team.
Career Buildup:
At the age of five, the young football prodigy was quickly enrolled in the youth system of KFC De Zwaluw Wiemesmeer, a team in the Belgian provincial league.
“… and From the age of six, he already had talent and was taller and stronger than the other kids.”
Notes Mike of young Origi’s steady growth.
Young Divock Origi is in his early career years.
Subsequent youth football stints saw Origi move to the Belgian teams, KRC Harelbeke and later KRC Genk, where his father had professional stints.
It was at the youth systems of KRC Genk that Origi recorded tremendous growth in football, coupled with academics at Park Houthalen Primary School and Sint-Jan Berchmans College. KRC Genk is a club that produced the likes of Manuel Benson and Wilfried Ndidi.
“And when his school reports would come, I’d see the teachers’ comments that he was good with the ball and that he was the best among his age mates”.
Revealed Mike.
Road To Fame Story:
It is worthwhile to note that Origi had most of his youth career at KRC Genk, where he trained for nine years before moving to Lille in nearby France at the age of 15. While at Lille, Origi put on impressive performances that courted the attention of scouts from Liverpool.
Origi’s early career years.
The English side was convinced that Divock Origi would be a valuable asset after witnessing him help the Belgium national team secure a spot in the knockout stages of the 2014 Brazil-hosted FIFA World Cup. He scored his first international goal in dramatic fashion, netting the decisive strike in the 87th minute to clinch a 1-0 victory against Russia.
He was eventually offered a six-year contract by the English side on the 29th of July 2014 for a fee of 10 Million pounds and immediately loaned back to Lille for more experience with the first team.
Divock Origi Biography – Rise To Fame:
Origi got the much-needed experience playing for Lille during his loan spell in the 2014-2015 season. He finally joined Liverpool in the next season after making 44 caps and netting a total of 9 goals for Lille.
Divock made his debut for Liverpool as a substitute during his side’s face-off with Manchester United. Not long after, he scored his first competitive goal for Liverpool by pulling off a hat-trick in Liverpool’s 6-1 victory over Southampton.
In the seasons that followed, Divock Origi enjoyed a remarkable journey, winning multiple trophies alongside teammates like Sadio Mané, Egyptian superstar Mo Salah, and English captain Jordan Henderson, among others.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Untold Facts:
Do you Know?
Divock Origi made history as the first player of Kenyan descent to score in a World Cup match.
A baby dolphin was christened “Origi” at the Boudewijn Seapark in Bruges. The development came after Divock’s lone 88th-minute goal sent Belgium’s national team to the knockout stages of the 2014 World Cup in a 1-0 victory over Russia. Sadly, the Dolphin didn’t live long, as it reportedly died days later.
Personal Life:
Both Kenya and Belgium nationals love Divock Origi despite not representing the former at international events. Notwithstanding, he makes up for Kenyans by speaking fluent Swahili to their delight.
He also speaks Flemish, a language he learned while growing up at Ostend and has a good command of Dutch. Divock loves family and football and has interests in psychology, particularly the working dynamics of the human brain and how it relates to different personality types.
Lifestyle:
Known as the “Super-Sub,” Divock Origi reportedly owns a house valued at $1 million in Belgium. His impressive car collection includes brands like Audi and Ford, along with a Mini Cooper, which he often drives to training.
Fact Check:
Thanks for reading the story of Divock Origi, a Baller who found life tough after leaving Merseyside. We strive for accuracy and fairness in our quest to deliver Belgian Soccer Stories. Kindly stay tuned for more!
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