Before Josh Maja became a standout player, lighting up the Championship and leading the goal-scoring charts in the 2024/2025 season, there was a rich story behind his journey. Growing up in a loving environment surrounded by his brothers, Emmanuel and Jeremiah, Josh’s childhood was steeped in a passion for football. With a natural talent for the game, it was clear from an early age that he and his brothers were destined for greatness on the pitch.
Inside the Life of Josh Maja: A Striker with Nigerian Roots
Josh looked up to his idol, Jermaine Defoe, who played a brotherly role in shaping his skills as a striker. Inspired by Defoe’s style, Josh absorbed every lesson he could, learning the ins and outs of forward play. This article explores the journey of the English-born striker with Nigerian roots, detailing the experiences that moulded him into the player he is today.
Preamble:
This memoir on Josh Maja offers a glimpse into his childhood, early life, and family background, including his siblings and parents. It traces the journey of the London-born Nigerian professional footballer from his formative years to his success with Fulham. To spark your interest in Josh Maja’s story, we’ll explore his career trajectory and the experiences that shaped him. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the heart of Josh Maja’s inspiring journey.
The Rise of Josh Maja: Inspiring Journey from Youngster to Goal Scorer
Josh Maja Childhood Story:
For Biography starters, he bears the nickname Josh Magic. The name – Josh is only a nickname, and his real name is – Joshua Erowoli Orisunmihare Oluwaseun Maja.
The professional footballer was born on the 27th day of December 1998 to a Nigerian father and mother in the London Borough of Lewisham.
Early Life and Growing Up Years:
Josh Maja spent his childhood years in Pimlico, a residential area in Westminster. He grew up alongside his three brothers, his parents (notably his mother), and his sister.
Notable among his siblings are Emmanuel and Jeremiah Maja – both of whom we have pictured here. Have you noticed how identical Josh Maja’s siblings are?
Meet Josh Maja’s Brothers – Emmanuel Maja (Right) and Jeremiah Maja (Left).
Considering the way these boys played soccer during their early days, there was absolutely nothing that suggested they wouldn’t grow up to become football stars – which they did.
Josh Maja Family Background:
The Nigerian Forward was born in London to Nigerian Mum and Dad, who lived and fared comfortably as middle-class English citizens.
Josh wasn’t raised in a poor background. His parents were like most people who worked, never struggled with money, and had a good financial education.
Family Origin:
Despite the fact he was born and raised in England, the London native appreciates his Nigerian roots. With his rise to fame, lots have fans have asked… Where in Nigeria do Josh Maja’s parents come from?…
First thing first, he has two Yoruba names – (Orisunmihare and Oluwaseun). After intensive research, we were able to trace one of his names (Orisunmi) to Ondo State, Nigeria. Possibly, this is where Josh Maja’s Dad comes from.
The name (Orisunmi) has Ondo state origin. It appears one of Josh Maja’s parents (his Dad) is from Ondo state, Nigeria.
Again – in terms of his origin –Â we took cognizance of another of his names – Erowoli. This name is common to people who come from Warri, Delta state.
For this reason, we could speculate highly that Josh Maja’s mum is from Delta State, Nigeria. It appears both of his parents left Nigeria for England in the 1990s to make a better family.
Josh Maja Education and Career Buildup:
According to the Independent, Josh Maja had an involvement in academics before the emergence of his career. The British newspaper also reported that he also continued schooling even during his teenage years.
Coming from a Nigerian household that is known to hold high values to Education for their children, moving to another trade could have been a sure thing in case a professional career didn’t work out as planned.
Josh Maja Biography – Football Story:
As Wikipedia puts it, the youngster’s parents, upon his birth, left Lewisham to settle at Pimlico, which is located in Greater London.
Hence, it was in central London in the City of Westminster that Josh and his brothers – Jeremiah and Emmanual (et al.) honed their football skills.
Driven by a strong determination to achieve his dreams, Josh had successful trials with Crystal Palace and Fulham. At these London academies, he built a solid foundation for his youth career.
The outright need to expand youth experience beyond London saw the precocious whiz kid travelling to northwest England (Manchester) for trials with City.
To the joy of his family, Josh passed, and he joined the likes of Jadon Sancho, who also played there.
Josh played for Manchester City’s Academy, hoping the club would offer him a scholarship. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. After discussing it with his parents, he left England’s top academy and joined Sunderland, where he secured a two-year scholarship.
Road to Fame Story:
In September 2016, Josh got his first taste of senior football with the Black Cats. As expected, he made an impact, showcasing his attacking flair and confidence on the field.
Josh was a humble striker who learned from his Idol and Big Bro – Jermaine Defoe – whom he considered a role model. Maja, as a youngster, received forward playing lessons from his Idol.
When Jermain Defoe left Sunderland, Josh Maja emerged as the favourite to take his place. Known for his excellent ball control and ability to glide past defenders, the young talent scored 16 goals before being lured to France with a lucrative offer.
Josh Maja Bio – The Success Story:
On January 26, 2019, the Sunderland forward signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with French Ligue 1 club Bordeaux, along with an impressive pay increase to €65,000 per week.
Playing alongside Yacine Adli, Josh became an instant hit with Les Girondins.
Rising to footballing stardom, Magic Joshua became one of the hottest young properties in French football.
He won the club’s top scorer award for the 2019-2020 season, its termination because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Owing to the fact that his parents are Nigerian, the country’s football coach, Gernot Rohr, quickly smuggled Maja.
The aim was to provide competition for Victor Osimhen as one of the country’s favourite strike forces.
At the start of 2021, the rising star consulted his family on a possible return to England. This time, he felt his destiny telling him he would succeed in the Premier League. On 1 February 2021, transfer deadline day, Josh returned to England with his former club, Fulham. Three seasons later, he became a household name in English league football, leading the goal-scoring chart of the Championships.
Without a doubt, the world might be on the verge of seeing a better Fulham version of Aleksandar Mitrovic, a youngster once rejected by England and now blossoming his way in becoming a world-class talent right in front of our very eyes. The rest, as we say, will be history.
Personal Life:
Who is Josh Maja?
Starting off, Maja is a Capricorn like Sam Adekugbe, a sign that represents time and responsibility. The Nigerian forward is an individual who possesses an inner state of an inner state of independence that allows for meaningful progress both in his personal and professional life.
Lifestyle:
Responding to the question on how he spends his weekly wages, the Nigerian striker admits not living a lavish life. Maja avoids glossy magazines, and there are no such things as showcasing exotic cars, big houses (mansions), beautiful girls, buzz, etc.
Josh Maja Family Life:
Vision is the act of seeing what is considered invisible to many. Maja comes from a sporting household with a vision for the game. In this section, we’ll tell you a bit about his ménage.
About Josh Maja’s Parents:
They raised four sons and one daughter. Making him and his brothers become footballers was one of the best decisions Josh’s mum and dad made.
The footballer’s anti-flash attitude is a result of his parents keeping him grounded. Although little documentation exists on them, it is only a matter of time before they make themselves public.
About Josh Maja’s Siblings:
In the modern football world of flash cars and social media lifestyle showcases, the football brothers represent a refreshing antidote.
Emmanuel Maja is a holding midfielder who once had trials with Man City and plays with FC Croydon as I write this Bio.
On the other hand, his elder brother, Jeremiah Majas, is a pacey forward – with an eye for goal – like his Josh.
Untold Facts:
Rounding up on our memoir on the Nigerian professional footballer, we’ll use this section to tell you more truths about him. Without much ado, let’s begin. A Londoner who earns 37,000 would need to work for 84 years to make Maja’s annual salary with Fulham.
Josh Maja’s Religion:
Do you know that his real name is Joshua? This is a Biblical name that means – God is My Salvation. Hence, there is no denying the fact that Josh Maja’s parents wouldn’t have raised him as a Christian. In fact, the part of Striker’s Instagram Bio says it all. It reads: God is Above all.
Who is Josh Maja’s Agent?
Elite Project Group Limited manages the Nigerian striker. The biggest of the company’s clients are mostly top black footballers.
Among them are Alex Iwobi, Jadon Sancho, Bukayo Saka, Ex-Arsenal star Eddie Nketiah, US Forward Folarin Balogun, and Reiss Nelson. Elite Project Group also manages Todd Cantwell.
Josh Maja FIFA Stats:
Having watched his goals, you’ll agree with me that he deserves more points. With his bright start to life in the Premier League, it is certain that FIFA will remember him in subsequent updates.
Maja is a versatile footballer who (at 21) lacks only three things in the game (below average): Aggression, intercept, and FK accuracy.
EndNote:
Being steadfast in the quest to achieve football stardom defines Josh Maja, who is the most successful among his footballing brothers.
Like Patrick Bamford, he is the type who prefers to work smartly on the pitch. The goals scored at his start of life with the Premier League say it all.
Secondly, there is no greater happiness than having a successful family whose lifestyle is centred around the beautiful game. Although rejected by England, Maja (through parental roots) secured a path to the Nigerian national team, where his success is assured.
Thanks for taking the time to read our story on Josh Maja. Kindly let us know if you see anything that doesn’t look good on our profile’s Life story. Otherwise, let us know what you think about Magic Joshua in the comment section.
