The Role of Chuku, Joshua King’s Gambian Dad, in His Life’s Destiny

Joshua King’s roots run deep into both Norway and Gambia, giving him a rich cultural heritage. His father, Chuku King, a Gambian native, passed on his heritage while also shaping Joshua’s Norwegian identity. Chuku, driven by ambition, left Gambia for Europe, first settling in Sweden before moving to Oslo, Norway. Encouraged by his uncle, Chuku found a well-paying job as a council repairman by day, while at night, he pursued his passion for reggae music, even organizing performances for icons like Damian Marley ( The second to youngest child of Bob Marley) in Oslo.

Chuku’s decision to stay in Norway was solidified when he met his Norwegian wife, leading to the birth of Joshua. Raised in one of Oslo’s toughest, multiracial neighbourhoods, Joshua was surrounded by the energy and diversity that fueled his love for football. In this environment, football wasn’t just a pastime but a way of life—a daily escape from the emptiness that sometimes hovered over the neighbourhood.

This biography delves into the journey of Joshua King, tracing how he evolved from a boy kicking footballs in the streets of Oslo to becoming a professional footballer known for his skill and resilience. Without further ado, let’s dive into the story of Joshua King’s rise in the world of football.

Joshua King Childhood Story – Early Life:

Joshua Christian Kojo King was born on January 15, 1992, in Oslo, Norway, to a Gambian father, Chuku King, and a Norwegian mother. His mixed heritage is visible in his darker skin tone, reflecting the dominant genes of his father. Chuku King, like many other migrants, came to Norway from Gambia, inspired by his uncle, who had previously traveled to Sweden for work.

Chuku saved up for two years to finance his journey to Northern Europe. Upon arriving in Norway, he found promising opportunities and secured two well-paying jobs—working as a council repairman during the day and a reggae impresario at night. His side gig in the music scene earned him recognition, as he brought famous artists like Damian Marley to Oslo for performances.

Chuku’s success and comfort in Oslo led him to settle down in Norway, where he met Joshua’s mother. Together, they started a family, and Joshua was raised in one of Oslo’s toughest multiracial neighbourhoods.

Despite suffering from asthma as a child, Joshua’s determination to pursue football helped him overcome the condition, fueling his passion for the sport and setting him on the path to success.

Joshua King Biography – Early Career Life:

While other kids took to Skiing, which is Norway’s biggest sport, little King was among a few other kids who took to playing the soccer ball.

King’s passion for the game saw him, at the age of 6, enrolling into the roster of his city’s local club, Romsas, which gave him the stage to showcase his talent.

Romsas, which is the name of his first youth club, was also the neighbourhood of Joshua King’s family in the city of Oslo, Norway.

While at Romas, little Josh moved up the ranks very quickly as he thrived against opponents from other youth setups.

In 2006, at the age of 8, he went to join Valerenga, a Norwegian club well known for its reputation of developing and projecting young players into bigger academies in Europe. It’s every child’s dream to join a bigger academy at some point in their youth career.

Life at Valerenga wasn’t fun as Joshua had to make a lot of sacrifices. There were times his dad Chuku could recall missing his jobs in order to attend his son’s countless games.

He does this even if it means sleeping in his car while he takes him to faraway tournaments.

Road to Fame Story:

King, during his days with Valerenga, was fortunate to meet former United Legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who played a critical part in his move to United’s academy.

The young forward, while playing with his youth club, also multitasked himself by participating in Ole Solskjaer’s soccer summer school in 2007.

While at Valerenga, King, through Ole Solskjaer’s connection, was fortunate to train with the Manchester United academy on multiple occasions.

King’s pace, strength, and natural finishing ability saw Red Devils scouts labelling him as the hottest young talent in Norwegian football.

Subsequently, he was invited to England for trials. He passed, but UEFA rules prevented him from signing a contract with the club until he was 16.

King, at the age of 16, immediately joined their youth setup. This decision came after he rejected trial offers from Chelsea. Yes! You just read that.

King had instant success at the Man United youth level, a feat which saw him making his United debut just a year after joining the club’s academy.

Due to Manchester United’s wealth of options up front, King wasn’t able to force his way into the senior side. This was because it wasn’t easy benching Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Dimitar Berbatov, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, and Nani.

Joshua King Biography – Rise to Fame Story:

In an effort to gain first-team football, King spent time on a loan in order to prove himself.

Joshua King continued his loan spell after seeing himself still not being able to overthrow a dominant Man United front line, even in the absence of Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo. Opportunities at United were inevitably hard to come by.

Shockingly, in the five years, King was contracted to Manchester United, he made just two competitive appearances with the rest on loan. Among the 5 clubs played on loan, his time at Hull City was most profitable.

The Decision to Leave United:

Having heard enough of non-playing time to the extent of having Sir Alex Ferguson not speaking to him, King decided to force a move after seeing his United contract through.

This decision came at a time Sir Alex Ferguson, who never gave him a chance, was set to retire. Before retiring, he predicted Joshua King to have a positive future. In his words;

 “He’s very quick with a great physique, and he should have a good career.”

Joshua King decided to move on a free transfer to Bournemouth, where Eddie Howe brought out the best in him. The rest, as they say, is now history.

Joshua King and Magdalena Temre – The Untold Love Story:

King is one of those footballers whose romances escape the scrutiny of the public eye simply because his love life is drama-free. Behind a successful Norwegian, there exist a beautiful wife in the person of Magdalena Temre.

Magdalena Temre is not just a beautiful wife but one with beauty and brains. She is well trained in Marketing and Brand Managing.

Both lovers who were once single and best friends, enjoyed their relationship for a couple of years before deciding in 2015 to tie the knot. It was a secret ceremony involving only Joshua King’s family and friends.

The couple together has a child soon after marriage. Their son, Noah King, arrived in the world on the 1st day of March, year 2016. Judging from their social media posts, Joshua and Temre live happily together with Noah, their beloved son.

A very close look at the faces of Father and Son reveals striking resemblances and the presence of a dominant mixed-race skin tone in Noah, thanks to his father.

Personal Life:

Getting to know Joshua King’s personal life would help you get a complete picture of him.

Treating his wife Magdalena Temre like a princess has to be his hallmark, as observed from the tattoo crested on his heart area, which he uses to show commitment to his wife.

Joshua King is someone who represents time and responsibility and can lead the way in making a solid life. Like Antonio Nusa and Oscar Bobb, Joshua knows how to have a realistic plan for his life.

He possesses an inner state of independence, which enables him to make significant progress in both his personal and professional life. He is a source of inspiration to many Norwegian strikers, including Jørgen Strand Larsen.

As observed from his Instagram account, much of his personal life commitment is centred around his wife and son. Joshua King enjoys very good connections with his little boy Noah, who seems to idolize everything his father does.

Judging from their closeness, it is assumed that Noah would most likely continue living his father’s dream after he retires from football.

Joshua King Family Facts:

Starting off, Joshua King comes from a humble family background, one whose members see King’s participation in Norwegian football as an honour.

Becoming workaholics (as observed by King’s father) and having the dedication to achieving career goals have been the hallmark of a family who loved football more than the average Norwegian.

“When I was a young boy, once a year, my dad would take me to London to buy the new football boots before they came out in Norway,” King once recalled as he expressed his early soccer commitments.

Untold Facts:

Joshua King shares the same family history and career path with fellow Norwegian and former Aston Villa striker John Carew.

Both footballers have a similar physique, pace, and mental strength. However, some fans believe Joshua King is a bit faster.

Did you know?… The dreadful injury record of Callum Wilson gave King the opportunity to show how good he is on the pitch. Even when Wilson came back, Bournemouth had to maintain a formation that suited two strikers.

Did you know?… Joshua King was among Man United players Federico Macheda and Gabriel Obertan, who once struggled to make a mark in the premier league. He succeeded while the others faded away and fell off the Premier League map.

Fact Check:

Thanks for reading our Joshua King’s Untold Story. We strive for accuracy and fairness in our quest to deliver you Norwegian Football Stories. Surely, the Life History of Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard will excite you. If you find something that doesn’t look right, please share it with us by commenting below. We’ll always value and respect your ideas.