Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo delighted to finally realise Wembley dream after failed football career

As a teenager who had trials with several top football clubs, Josh Lambo dreamed of playing at Wembley.

Now his dream is finally to become a reality — but as an American NFL star “playing in a helmet rather than with goalie gloves”. The 27-year-old will be part of the Jacksonville Jaguars team taking on the Philadelphia Eagles at Wembley on October 28.

The Michigan-born kicker told the Standard he “grew up” watching English football and had trials in his teens with Everton, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Liverpool and even his beloved Manchester United.

But he didn’t break into the UK game and switched sports aged 22 . He signed for the Florida NFL side last October.

Lambo said: “I thought I would be playing [at Wembley] with goalie gloves and not a helmet. But yeah, I can’t wait to play there. It is hallowed ground. It’s obviously a historic stadium. I hope the situation isn’t too big for me. I am just going to look around and realise I am in Wembley. It is going to be a big moment. It is going to mean a lot.”

When asked if he still missed playing “soccer”, Lambo said: “I miss it every day. It is still my heart, still my passion. But this is my job. And that is okay.”

After moving with his family to Illinois as a young child, Lambo joined Chicago Magic in 2005 and spent the next summer training with Everton while the club was on a scouting tour of the US. He was recommended by American Tim Howard, Everton’s then goalkeeper, who spotted his talent at a training session.

In 2007, Lambo was selected to represent the USA in the Fifa Under-17s World Cup, making his debut against Belgium. A year later, he signed for FC Dallas and when his contract ended in 2012, he decided to retire from football as “the other contract options available to me didn’t excite me”.

It was his mother, Irene, who suggested he get an education and try American football. “I was young enough that I could still go back to university,” he said.

“And I was going to get an education and grow up and get a really good job. I didn’t know what, but not sports. My mum made the suggestion that I try American football at college. And that’s what I did, and here I am now. Mum knows best, always.” He recently married his long-term girlfriend, Meghan, whom he said gives him “stability” and was “his number one fan” and would be watching his major Wembley match in October.

Lambo was speaking at the NFL Summer Bowl — a day-long festival of American football hosted at King’s House Sports Ground in Chiswick yesterday. It sees school children from around the country who have been involved in the NFL Flag programme — the introductory non-contact version of the sport — play and meet some of their American heroes.

The event, sponsored by Subway, was attended by players from all six of the NFL sides playing in London this autumn — the Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans.

NFL Flag Summer Bowl presented by Subway, schools can register interest online at http://bit.ly/NFLFlagSubway