A 16-year-old Belgian footballer has detailed his journey to becoming a Newcastle United fan, a path that began with a viral TikTok song. Viktor Dufoort, who plays for Dosko Beveren, now follows the club's progress from ninth place in the Premier League with five points from three games.
Dufoort's fandom started when he repeatedly saw a TikTok compilation that used only footballers' names. "It featured Allan Saint-Maximin, so I started to recognise Newcastle as 'that team Saint-Maximin plays for'," he explained. Towards the end of the 2022/23 season, a friend named Lew asked him a direct question. "Which club do you support in the Premier League?" Dufoort's immediate answer was Newcastle United.
From screen to St. James' Park
Saint-Maximin's subsequent departure did not deter him. Anthony Gordon stepped into the role as Dufoort's new favourite player on the left wing. By the end of the 2023/24 season, Dufoort had subscribed to a streaming service to watch matches regularly. Last season, he made his first pilgrimage to St. James' Park for the home game against Brentford. While the result was disappointing, the atmosphere made a lasting impression. "I hope to return to Newcastle this season," he said.
Balancing his own football commitments with fandom is a weekly challenge. Dufoort tries to watch every Newcastle game but often has a match for his own club at the same time. The team's current form, unbeaten in five with three wins and two draws, gives him plenty to follow.
A childhood dream
His passion for football commentary is not new. From the age of five or six, he would play in his garden and provide live commentary on imaginary matches. "I have always believed that getting paid to watch football and commentate on it would be my dream job," Dufoort stated. He is now actively pursuing that goal by writing. Getting articles published on this site represented a major first step, which he seized with both hands.
"I hope you guys appreciate the effort I make to really get myself to the next level to achieve a dream job of mine," he added. Dufoort hopes to build a name for himself through his writing, envisioning a future where people recall the 16-year-old who wrote articles and now commentates from inside St. James' Park. He sees this as the start of a bright future, both for himself and for the club he supports from afar. Newcastle's next test is against Leeds United on Monday, 14 September.
