Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin has opened up on his struggles off the pitch as the Toffees battled for Premier League survival in the 2021/22 season
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has revealed he spent part of his birthday in tears on his bedroom floor as Everton battled for Premier League survival. The Toffees forward scored the pivotal goal to cement his side’s place in this division in 2021/22 but endured emotional turmoil in the build up to that moment.
Calvert-Lewin, 28, joined Everton as a teenager in 2016 and netted the winning goal against Crystal Palace to secure a 3-2 win and the Merseyside club’s place in the top-flight. The striker has scored 71 goals in his Everton career but none more important than in that moment.
An injury-plagued season saw Calvert-Lewin’s influence on the pitch wane, having hit a career high 21 goals the previous term. With the Toffees battling for survival, the Sheffield-born star’s return saw him pile pressure on himself.
Calvert-Lewin’s issues saw him believe that it was ‘his responsibility to save everybody’, with the prospect of job losses and relegation on the horizon. Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Calvert-Lewin admitted he hit ‘rock bottom’ before scoring that goal.
“I did an Instagram post [at the end of the season] which was an outburst of emotion,” Calvert-Lewin said. “I can look back in hindsight and reflect on what it was, I scored the goal against Palace that kept Everton in the league and that feeling I will never be able to describe.
READ MORE: Jack Grealish handed fresh Premier League escape route after brutal Man City snubREAD MORE: 7 Premier League transfers that SHOULD happen this week including Arsenal swoop
“It was the weight of my own pressure, the football club. I am quite an emotional person and I put that weight on my shoulders. I thought it was my responsibility to save everybody, save jobs and that’s a lot to put on your shoulders. When I scored that goal it was relief.
“On my birthday, four or five weeks before I scored that goal, that was a low point for me. I ended up crying on my bedroom floor, I think it was not knowing how to express what I was feeling in that moment. Feeling that things are getting away from you.
“You have all the pressure of the football club on your shoulders and at the time I couldn’t play, as I had another injury. I was thinking it was a rock bottom moment for me. I felt better after I cried and let out that emotion, and was like ‘I’m going to save Everton Football Club’.”
Calvert-Lewin’s contract is set to expire this summer and wants to find himself in a winning environment. The forward, who has four goals in 11 England caps, wants to earn his way back to the Three Lions set-up and make a Champions League debut before he hangs up his boots.
“I have to be careful with what I say because I am still contracted to Everton, I have a long history with Everton and a big respect for the club,” he said.
“The main thing for me is I want to win, I want to be in a winning environment. After the last three or four seasons it has been about survival.
“When I started my career I wanted to play in the Premier League, play for England a go to major tournaments with England and play in the Champions League. I have played in a major tournament for England, I have played in the Premier League, but I haven’t played in the Champions League. There are still things I would like to achieve before my time is done.
“To have the opportunity to decide potentially where that place will be. If it gives me the best opportunity and environment to win and score goals, then that would be the return of me to the England team and playing in the Champions League.
“That has been my driver to play at the highest level possible. My representation of that is the Champions League, World Cups, Euros and getting into that bracket of elite players.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
Source From: Mirror – Champions League
Source link
- Sonic Review – The World #1 App Allows You To Launch Your Own AI Streaming Platform Preloaded With Over 100 Million Artists, Playlists, Podcasts, Genres, Audiobooks & Radio Channel And Tap Into 600 Million Paid Members!
- Voixr Review – The #1 Emotional-Based-Human-Like Voice Cloning AI Powered App Cloning and Speaking In 1,800+ Voices With 144 Native Languages Instantly Without Recording or Any Tech Skills!
- SiteRobot AI Review – The #1 AI-Powered App Let Us Build Complete Websites + Contents Instantly By Using Just Your Keyword!
- Quillaio Review – Get Your Website Ranking In Page 1 With The Most Powerful AI Engine And Hand Free Optimization Of Your Contents!
- MailDaddy Review – The New Email Marketing Software Helps You Send Unlimited Emails To Unlimited Subscribers By Getting 99.96% Inbox Delivery With Assurance To Get More Opens, Clicks, And Sales!
Recent Comments