Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo has attributed a journaling habit — started when he was just 14 years old — as a key pillar behind his rise from rejected trialist to Premier League title-winner. Speaking ahead of City's UEFA Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday, 16 October 2026, the 26-year-old Ghana international said writing down his goals has helped him navigate setbacks and stay focused throughout his career.

From Rejection to the Etihad

Semenyo's path to one of football's most celebrated clubs was far from straightforward. As a teenager, he faced rejection at multiple trial stages before eventually signing a professional contract with Bristol City in 2018. Loan spells at Newport County and Sunderland tested his resolve, with the winger spending periods out of the starting eleven and struggling for consistent form.

A permanent transfer to Bournemouth in 2023 marked a turning point, allowing him to establish himself in the Premier League. His performances there earned him a high-profile move to Manchester City in January 2025, where he has since scored 13 goals in 35 appearances, including the winning goal in last season's FA Cup final.

Journaling as a Mental Framework

Semenyo explained that the habit began during his teenage years as a way to manage overthinking. “A lot of the time I was overthinking, so it became a habit. I manifest what I want for the season and for the years ahead, and it’s worked out well so far,” he said in an interview with UEFA.

He added that revisiting past entries has allowed him to measure his own development in a concrete way. “Every goal that I’ve written down so far has manifested. When anything pops up, I write it down and come back to it to see it at a later stage,” Semenyo said. Notably, this reflective practice has extended to tactical understanding — something he credits in part to City manager Pep Guardiola.

“From day one, I had to understand myself as a player. It’s understanding the pace of the game, when to go slow, when to speed it up, and when to dribble. Pep drilled that into me a lot, and it’s helped me. That’s where the journaling comes in because I’ve written all this stuff down. Then I can go back to it and tick it off,” he explained.

Adversity as a Catalyst

Semenyo was candid about the difficult phases of his career, recalling stints at Newport County, Bristol City, and Sunderland where he struggled for form and found himself on the fringes of squads. He said those experiences were formative rather than derailing.

“It’s made me, ultimately, resilient. I’m strong-minded and have strong character. Anything in the way is just a blur; I’m always going to be tunnel visioned on what my goal is. If I want something, I’m going to get it eventually. You need to be strong-minded to get through those moments. If you’re not strong-minded, you’ll fall,” he said.

Learning at the Highest Level

Now surrounded by world-class teammates at the Etihad Stadium, Semenyo says the learning process has not stopped. “I’m playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world. We’re playing our best football, and I’m with star players, and I’m still learning about myself every day,” he said.

With Manchester City gearing up for a high-stakes Champions League encounter against PSG, Semenyo's mental clarity and goal-setting discipline could prove as valuable on the pitch as his pace and finishing.