Ex-Premier League star's amazing journey from UEFA Dream Team to non-league
After over 150 career goals, for some strikers the euphoria of finding the back of the net might have faded - but not for former Premier League ace Leroy Lita who is still going strong at the age of 38.
Veteran forward Lita last played in the top-flight for Swansea almost a decade ago, but is now plying his trade in the seventh tier of English football at Ilkeston - the 20th club of his senior career.
The former Reading star moved to the Robins on New Year's Day and scored his 21st goal of the season in their 3-3 draw against Needham Market on March 11. He had spent the first-half of the campaign at relegation-battling Hednesford but still managed to notch double-figures to take his career total to over 150 goals since his debut for Bristol City in 2002.
Speaking exclusively to Mirror Football, Lita said: "I have done alright this season considering I started off in a struggling team. But when Ilkeston came in and I knew they had a good set-up, it was a no-brainer for me and I've started off well for them.
"I am enjoying it at Ilkeston. They are probably the best non-league club I've been at, there’s some good people there, very organised, professional and I'm enjoying my football there."
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Having started his professional career at Bristol City, Lita made a name for himself during the 2005/06 campaign where he scored an impressive 30 goals in 52 appearances. During the February of that season, Lita received the "shock" news that he was going to be called up to the England Under 21s squad, replacing ex-Tottenham star Darren Bent.
"I was called up late last-minute for someone, I think it was Darren Bent that pulled out and they called me in," Lita confessed. "It was a shock to be fair as I was still playing in League One.
"Everyone in the squad at the time was playing in the Premier League, so it was a shock for me, and my family left me a message - which was a lovely moment."
Leroy Lita celebrates scoring for England U21s (Getty Images)He added: "I was living with one of my teammates at Bristol City, it was 9pm and was playing Championship manager at the time. I got a call from a lady called Karen at the FA saying you’ve been called up to the U21s squad and the car will be outside in half an hour.
"I was like 'what!'. I thought it was a joke."
Despite being the only player outside the Premier League in the England U21s squad at the time, Lita still managed to score on his debut against Netherlands U21s.
Although Lita had to wait another year to earn his next Three Lions cap, he was banging in the goals for Bristol City and then Reading, for whom he helped win the Championship title with a record-high points tally (106).
Lita earned his chance to play in the Premier League with the Royals during the 2006/07 campaign and was a firm fixture in the side when he recovered from a broken leg.
He revealed: "Playing in the Premier League was a dream come true. I remember making my debut against Middlesbrough, I had just come back from a broken leg in the promotion season with Reading and in my first league game I didn’t start.
"But [Dave] Kitson got injured just before half-time. I came on and scored the winner, it was great playing in the Premier League as it was a goal from the start and I managed to achieve that."
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After netting 14 times in 38 appearances across all competitions, Lita was named in the England U21s squad for the 2007 European Championships.
It was an opportunity Lita took with both hands as he netted three times at the tournament, although England inevitably crashed out against Netherlands in the semi-finals.
Leroy Lita in action for England U21s in 2007 (Getty Images)However, following his excellent form, Lita was selected in the UEFA Dream Team XI alongside the likes of Giorgio Chiellini, Branislav Ivanovic and Royston Drenthe.
That was a memorable moment for Lita, who went onto have a stellar career in the professional game, featuring for a number of well-established clubs such as Middlesbrough, Swansea, Sheffield Wednesday and Brighton.
"I think I have earned the right to have the career I have had, playing nearly 450 professional games," Lita said. "I was just happy to get there (Premier League) with all the sacrifices I put in and when I wasn’t playing or not happy, then that’s where you saw so many loans.
"I would always knock on the manager's door, saying ‘I’m not playing so can I go somewhere on loan?' That’s been me and I have never been one to sit on the bench and be a part of it, I want to play as it’s a short career. You want to play as much as possible and I got a lot of games in and have had a good career."
Explaining why he felt he had such a successful career, Lita added: "Mentality is everything in the professional game. I've seen loads of good players in non-league who have all the ability to go up and do what they want, but the mentality is the key thing.
Leroy Lita scored 10 Premier League goals (Getty Images)"Training everyday, looking after yourself everyday. A lot of people don’t understand that to get to those levels you can’t live a normal life. Unless you are someone like Lionel Messi, and even then his mentality is unreal."
Lita announced his retirement from professional football in 2019 at the age of 34 after a short stint at Yeovil and spells out in Thailand and Greece. But the DR Congo-born frontman has since spent time at Margate, Salisbury and Chelmsford City, before moving to Nuneaton at the start of the Covid-hit 2020/21 season.
He joined Hednesford in March 2022 after another short stint, this time at Stratford, and struck an impressive 16 goals in just 20 league appearances for the Staffordshire side. Now at fellow Step 3 outfit Ilkeston, Lita is enjoying his football - and although it may seem like he is entering the twilight of his career - the forward has no plans of stopping anytime soon.
Leroy Lita celebrates scoring for Reading in 2007 (Getty Images)Lita added: "The feeling of scoring goals and being in and around a football pitch with a group of lads, you can’t find it anywhere else. After the game, when you’re all together, you can’t get that anywhere else. I’m still fit, and when it’s done, it's done.
"If I can still play once or twice a week, then I will and that’s my mentality. I’m enjoying it and I love football. I coach, I watch and everything I do in my life surrounds football and that’s what makes me happy. I don’t really have a desire and a passion for anything else.”
Back in 2017, Wayne Rooney compared scoring a goal to being under water, while Sebastian Haller recently claimed that finding the back of the net is the 'best feeling'. That emotion is something that keeps veteran striker Lita going and he does not want to retire and give up unless his body tells him too.
But when asked about potential retirement plans, Lita said: "When I stop playing I want to be a manager one day, if the right opportunity comes up when I stop playing then I will take it. I have decided I’m never going to get into being a player/manager.
"I tried to once and I think it’s too much for me, I am just going focus on playing and coaching and then when the right opportunity comes up, I will stop playing."
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