‘Most insulting factor’ you may say to a footballer – it is why so many wrestle

A ‘Premier League‘ star who’s become a popular masked rapper has revealed the “most insulting thing” fans can tell a footballer and how it’s the root of so many issues.

Since releasing his first single ‘Thrill’ in 2023, DIDE has remained hot on the lips of those who like UK rap as much as they do football. Even if you don’t recognise his stage alias, you probably will be familiar with his actual name – at least that’s what we’re led to believe.

Despite sitting down with the mysterious masked rapper for a chat about his step into the world of music, your Daily Star remains in the dark as to learning his true identity. That’s not to say there aren’t murmurings on the grapevine, not least AI’s suggestion that DIDE’s voice matches that of ex-Liverpool starlet Sheyi Ojo.

READ MORE: Identity of mystery rapper and footballer DIDE ‘revealed as ex-Liverpool player’

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The rapper is keeping his cards close to his chest, telling the Daily Star fewer than five people know who he is and none of them are coaching staff or teammates.

‘Stick to football’ has become such a stick to beat players with on social media that ex-pros Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Ian Wright, Roy Keane and Jill Scott have ironically adopted it as the name of their podcast.

But footballers daring to break the mould and step out of their homes in their off-time continues to evoke fan fury. Whether it’s appearing at Paris Fashion Week or campaigning for free school meals in the case of Marcus Rashford, Premier League stars find their lives scrutinised under the microscope.

DIDE is on a mission to fight against it. He told the Daily Star: “That’s probably one of the most insulting things that someone could say because like I said we are all human beings we all do have hobbies, we’re not just athletes we’re human beings, we enjoy different things.

“Some people like playing golf, some people like go bowling, some people like I don’t know go to the cinema other people want to make music. We’re not hurting anyone, we’re still focused on our job.

“We’re still going to training every morning at the right time, we’re still doing all the things we need to be doing and at the end of the day we’re just expressing ourselves so I don’t see it as a negative.

“But a lot of the fans out there, and I’m not saying everyone but a lot of the fans out there have that stigma that you have to do one thing and you can’t really do anything else, and that’s what we’re trying to fight against. And yeah the music is kind of what represents that.”

The rapper explained the moment you restrict a footballer’s healthy and harmless interests off the pitch, you’re pushing them towards bleak alternatives which DIDE has seen all too often.

He said: “You see a lot of footballers getting into betting, you know going out clubbing, spending loads of money, you know wasting money on expensive materialistic things. I’m not saying that’s a negative thing but I just feel like for me I’d much rather put my energy and my free time and space into things that are going to help me on the pitch.

“Music is definitely an element of that and you know it’s just another way to express the way I am and my creativity.”

When DIDE sheds light on just how much spare time players have after training, it’s little wonder they don’t fancy sitting still and twiddling their thumbs.

He added: “A lot of the time we train in the morning, we finish around two / three o’clock so yeah you’re just waiting around from 3pm to 10 or 11pm watching TV, watching Netflix. You’re not really doing anything productive with your day, you’re not really helping yourself mentally and stimulating yourself.

“And a lot of footballers do that and that’s what aids the bad habits of going out, spending money, going clubbing and all these different things because you’ve got too much time on your hands.

“But for me personally now that this music’s kind of taken off you know I’m focused on football and then as soon as I’m home I’m able to rest and recover. I’m able to listen to music or do things to help me on the pitch the next day.”