From shooting with leg to shooting with camera - champion of Europe becomes cameraman

A former Tottenham player, once part of the club’s Europa League-winning squad, has opened up about his struggles with the lifestyle of a typical young footballer—and why he chose to walk away from the game to pursue a creative path as a photographer and filmmaker.

Alfie Whiteman, now 27, came through Spurs’ academy ranks and signed his first professional contract with the club he grew up supporting. Despite spending years on the books at Tottenham, he never managed to secure a lasting role in the first team and was released at the end of last season.

During his time with Spurs, Whiteman also represented England at the Under-17 and Under-19 levels and completed two loan spells in Sweden with Degerfors. As first-team opportunities continued to elude him, he began exploring new interests—dabbling in acting, broadcasting, and photography.

These creative pursuits eventually turned into a new career direction. "The stereotype of a footballer is generally quite true. It's the golf, washbag culture. I was that young footballer. I wanted the Gucci washbag and I drove the Mercedes. You all just become a reflection of each other. You're a product of your environment. It's the way football is in this country; it's so shut off from anything else. You go to training and then you go home, that's it."

Whiteman made a single senior appearance for Tottenham, featuring under Jose Mourinho in the Europa League back in 2020. Although he attempted to move on in 2024, Spurs kept him to meet the club-trained player requirements for their Europa League campaign—one that ended with the trophy in their hands.

He later revealed that he had trials lined up with a Championship and a League One side over the summer but ultimately realised that true 'happiness' lay outside football.

Now, Whiteman has signed with Somesuch, an award-winning production company with offices in London and the United States. His new creative journey began with a project for footwear brand Vibram, and he has since collaborated with major names including Nike and rapper Central Cee, filming across countries like Norway and Ukraine. Interestingly, he admits he hasn’t watched a single football match since hanging up his gloves.