INTERVIEW: Illegitimately Blessed author Ricky Weir traces Nigerian roots, speaks on expanded FIFA World Cup

President of Jersey 2 Africa 4 Football Foundation and former Jersey FA President, Ricky Weir, recently visited Nigeria to promote his award-winning memoir, Illegitimately Blessed, support grassroots football initiatives and strengthen the country’s growing Walking Football movement.

In this exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, he speaks about tracing his Nigerian roots, obtaining Nigerian citizenship, his football journey, experiences with racism, and why he believes his life story can inspire people across Africa. He also shared his thoughts on the expanded FIFA World Cup and other innovations by the World football governing body

Excerpts…

PT: Why are you in Nigeria? Is this your first visit?

Ricky Weir: No, this is actually my fifth visit to Nigeria. I came primarily to receive an award, which was a wonderful honour. But while here, I’ve also been working with Walking Football groups in Lagos and Abuja, and supporting grassroots football initiatives.

I attended the opening of the Five Stars League in Abuja, which I think is one of the best grassroots football programmes of its kind. I was very impressed by what I saw. I also used the opportunity to complete some personal matters connected to my Nigerian heritage.

PT: You have spoken extensively about your Nigerian roots. Why was it important for you to obtain Nigerian citizenship?

Ricky Weir: The simple reason is that I wanted to be able to come back to Nigeria whenever I choose without the restrictions and costs associated with visas.

But beyond that, it represents something much deeper. The journey started more than 26 years ago when I began tracing my father’s roots. Finally holding a Nigerian passport because my father was born here is something I never imagined would happen.

Many people seek European or American passports. In my case, I was pursuing a Nigerian passport. For me, it is about identity and connection.

PT: Tell us about your father and your journey to discovering your roots.

Ricky Weir: My father was Nigerian, and my mother was Scottish. Unfortunately, my father died before I was born, so I never met him.

My mother was pregnant and unmarried in the 1960s. She faced enormous pressure and was eventually placed for adoption shortly after birth.

Wonderful adoptive parents in Scotland raised me. For many years, I resisted searching for my biological family because I never wanted my adoptive parents to feel they were somehow inadequate. They were my parents because they raised me.

Eventually, I felt it was time to understand where I came from. That began a long search that ultimately led me to Nigeria.

PT: What aspects of Nigerian culture stand out to you?

Ricky Weir: Nigerians are straightforward. Sometimes that can appear a little harsh at first, but once people get to know you, there is tremendous warmth and kindness.

I’ve always been made to feel welcome here. I feel an emotional connection to Nigeria because of my father, and that connection continues to grow with every visit.

PT: Tell us about your football journey.

Ricky Weir: Like many children in Scotland, football was simply part of everyday life. We didn’t have computers or mobile phones. We had football.

You would grab a ball and go outside to play. It was the easiest and most accessible sport. That’s why football became the world’s game.

I started playing from a very young age and eventually developed into a striker. During the best years of my career, I was an out-and-out goalscorer.

PT: Did football help you navigate some of the challenges you faced growing up?

Ricky Weir: Absolutely.

Growing up as a mixed-race child in Scotland during the 1960s and 1970s wasn’t always easy. At that time, there wasn’t even a common term like “mixed race.” You were generally labelled as either white or black.

I experienced discrimination and name-calling. Football became my sanctuary. It was the one place where I felt accepted. People might not have welcomed me everywhere, but they rarely turned me away from a football game.

Football gave me confidence and helped shape who I became.

PT: You often mention Pelé when discussing your childhood. Why?

Ricky Weir: The 1970 World Cup was a huge moment. Colour television was becoming widespread, and people were watching Pelé and Brazil.

Because of my skin colour, people would jokingly call me “Pelé.” I was very happy to accept that comparison. It made me feel proud.

In fact, one of the chapters in my book is titled Glasgow Pelé.

PT: Tell us about your memoir, Illegitimately Blessed.

Ricky Weir: Writing the book was never about becoming an author or making money.

I had three goals. First, to finish the book because writing one is a huge achievement. Second, to leave a legacy for my three sons so they would understand my story. Third, if the book could inspire just one person, then I would consider it a success.

Everything else has been a bonus.

PT: The book has gained considerable attention since publication.

Ricky Weir: Yes, and that has surprised me.

I self-published it in September 2024. Then, in March 2025, a European publisher offered me a contract. That was completely unexpected.

A month later, the book received a literary award in Italy. That was another incredible moment because I don’t really think of myself as a writer. I’m a football person who wrote one book.

PT: Why do you think the book resonates with people?

Ricky Weir: Because it isn’t just about football.

It’s about family, fathers, identity, discrimination, resilience and overcoming adversity. Different people connect with different parts of the story.

That’s why I believe it can have a strong impact in Africa and especially in Nigeria, where a significant part of the story originates.

PT: Is that one of the reasons you’re promoting the book in Nigeria?

Ricky Weir: Very much so.

If the book can have an impact in countries where I have no connection, then imagine what it could do in Nigeria.

I genuinely believe it can inspire people here. If that happens, then perhaps that will become part of my legacy, alongside the football work.

PT: Beyond football and writing, what would you like people to remember about Ricky Weir?

Ricky Weir: I would like people to remember someone who tried to make a positive difference.

Football has been a huge part of my life, but ultimately it’s about people. Whether through grassroots football, walking football, charitable work or now through the book, the goal is the same: to leave things a little better than I found them.

And if Illegitimately Blessed encourages even one person to keep going despite difficult circumstances, then it has done its job.

PT: Let’s talk about the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is the first edition with 48 teams. What is your assessment of the expanded format?

Ricky Weir: I wasn’t a fan of the idea when it was first announced, and nothing I’ve seen has changed my mind. Even with 32 teams, the group stage could produce some dull matches. Expanding to 48 teams was always going to dilute the quality.

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Of course, it’s wonderful for countries such as Cape Verde or Curaçao to experience a World Cup for the first time, but for me, the negatives outweigh the positives. The tournament becomes too long, there are more mismatched games, and the overall quality suffers.

The reality is that the expansion is driven largely by revenue. More teams mean more matches, more television rights and more commercial opportunities. But from a football perspective, I think it waters down what should be the world’s premier competition.

PT: There are already discussions in some quarters about expanding the tournament even further. What do you make of that?

Ricky Weir: If football keeps going in that direction, they might as well invite everybody and scrap the qualifiers altogether.

The World Cup should be special because it is difficult to reach. The more you expand it, the less exclusive it becomes. Football’s greatest competitions derive their value from history, prestige and achievement. If everyone qualifies, some of that magic disappears.

I think FIFA needs to be careful not to sacrifice the quality and heritage of the competition in pursuit of commercial gains.

PT: FIFA has introduced several new rules to reduce time-wasting and improve the flow of matches. Do you support those changes?

Ricky Weir: In general, yes.

I think too much gamesmanship has crept into football over the years. If goalkeepers are given a limited time to hold the ball, or players are required to take throw-ins more quickly, that’s good for the game.

All those little delays add up to over 90 minutes and reduce the spectacle for supporters. So I support measures that encourage more football to be played and less time to be wasted. Those changes genuinely benefit the fans and improve the game.

PT: Are there any recent innovations you disagree with?

Ricky Weir: Absolutely.

One example is the mandatory water breaks that are now being used in situations where they are not always necessary. If the weather conditions genuinely require them for player safety, that’s understandable.

But in some matches, particularly where temperatures are moderate or stadiums are climate-controlled, it feels more like a commercial break than a welfare measure.

My concern is that football is increasingly being packaged around commercial opportunities. If it is truly about player welfare, that’s fine. But if it is primarily about creating additional advertising space, then that’s a different matter entirely.

PT: What are your thoughts on having halftime interviews for players?

Ricky Weir: I think it’s a terrible idea.

As a player, when you come off the pitch at halftime, your focus should be on recovering, listening to your coach and preparing for the second half. The last thing you need is a microphone in your face, asking for quick soundbites.

Footballers are not actors in a television show. They are competitors in the middle of a contest. I believe these kinds of requirements distract from the game itself and risk turning football into entertainment content rather than a sport.

PT: Do you worry that football is becoming too commercialised?

Ricky Weir: Yes, very much so.

Football’s strength has always been its simplicity. Fans fall in love with the game because of the passion, the history and the competition. My concern is that some decisions today are being driven more by commercial interests than football interests.

There is nothing wrong with generating revenue, but there has to be a balance. If we’re not careful, football risks losing some of the traditions and values that made it the world’s most popular sport in the first place.