The fortunes of several footballers are determined by their play mates at the infant stage of their career and the case of Ghana and St. Gallen goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi is not different.

The Ghana shot stopper has revealed how his friends turned him into a goalkeeper which has eventually become his profession, even when he cherished being an outfield player.

In an exclusive interview with footballmadeinghana.com, Ati-Zigi disclosed that he was an outfield player and always loved playing as a striker but after stepping in for their goalkeeper who was absent for a game, his friends convinced him to stay between the sticks.

“I didn’t really start as a goalkeeper. My friends made me a goalkeeper and I have lived with it,” he said.

“I started playing football at the age of six as an outfield player. I was not a goalkeeper. I used to play with my friends in my area as a striker.

“One day we went to play and we didn’t have a goalkeeper so I went into the post, and that was it.

“We won the game. And that was my first time. My friends were impressed and encouraged me to keep being in goal and that was it,” he added.

The shot stopper has moved on since to become the first choice of Swiss Super League side St. Gallen after stints with Liefering, Red Bull Salzburg and Sochaux.