Footballer Udoka Godwin-Malife 'humbled' by John Legend's praise

A football player has said he was "really humbled" by the reaction to him singing a version of John Legend's All of Me song.

Swindon Town's newest defender, 23-year-old Udoka Godwin-Malife, performed the song in the team's dressing room on Saturday.

He said: "I didn't expect the millions of views the video would get.

"The real highlight was when John Legend himself reposted and was impressed himself."

The player, nicknamed 'Dokes', said it had been a "crazy week" after he sang the song to lift the team's spirits after a game was cancelled, having also performed it the night before.

He signed for Swindon Town last week after his contract with Forest Green Rovers expired over the summer.

Godwin-Malife said: "Everyone knows of course when you join a new club, the night before game you have to do an initiation song for the group.

"So that was what I did the night before the Colchester game.

"I sang John Legend - All of me. The boys were shocked and gave me a lot of praise and love which is always a nice feeling."

He continued: "The day of the game came, weather wasn't the greatest and we all had the fear factor that the game could get called off.

"That fear factor became reality and the game was off.

"As we walked back into the changing room, the skipper, Charlie Austin, shouted 'Go on Dokes, lift the spirits, give us a sing song' and I guess the rest was history."

Godwin-Malife added that he had been surprised by the reaction.

"It was very humbling because it seemed like a really positive topic and of course people thought I was really good, which is nice also to hear/read," he said.

"For me the real highlight was when John Legend himself reposted it on his Instagram story and was impressed himself.

"That's when it really sunk in."

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