Bilal Sayoud was on the brink of quitting football for good, worn down by the grind of combining non-league matches with long shifts as an Amazon delivery driver. Today, the 28-year-old is the all-time top scorer in the UK's Baller League and is coached by Chelsea icon John Terry, a dream he dared not believe possible.
The life-changing trial
Sayoud's turning point came via a text message about trials for the new small-sided football competition, Baller League. Backing from influencers like KSI had generated buzz, but for Sayoud, the appeal was simpler: the chance to earn an extra few hundred pounds a week. Facing a 102-parcel delivery day in Shepherd's Bush, he nearly skipped the trial entirely.
"I woke up thinking, depending on how many parcels I get today, I may not attend," Sayoud recalls. Already in the area for work, he was persuaded to go. The trial lasted three hours, after which he returned to complete his final 40 deliveries, finishing at 9pm. With no guarantee of success, he was back on his delivery route at 6am the next morning.
A football journey against the odds
Overcoming long odds is nothing new for Sayoud. He was in Tottenham's academy alongside Luke Amos but was released at 13. After turning 16, he was one of just two British players selected for the prestigious Nike Academy from tens of thousands of applicants. He later turned professional with Coventry City, sharing a pitch with James Maddison, but was released at 21.
For years, he balanced playing for Haringey Borough in the non-league system with his courier job, a schedule that left little time for family and pushed him towards quitting. Baller League, with its estimated 45,000 applicants, offered a lifeline. At the trial, he caught the eye of former Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris with a deft piece of skill, cheekily telling him: "Make sure you tell that to JT, mate!"
Learning from a legend and finding balance
Sayoud, a lifelong Chelsea fan, achieved his goal of playing for John Terry's '26ers' team. He describes working with the Blues legend as "amazing." "John Terry treats us like friends... You look at these people and you think they're untouchable, but they're just normal human beings," Sayoud says, noting Terry's competitive fire.
The move has been transformative off the pitch. The income from Baller League allowed him to quit his delivery job. "It's allowed me to stop my courier job. I've had more time with my family, more time to recover," he explains, highlighting the brutal reality for many non-league players who work early shifts before evening matches.
On the field, he has made history as the first player to score 30 goals in the competition. Although his 26ers side missed out on the Final Four this season, Sayoud is already targeting 50 goals next campaign. "It's a surreal experience," he admits. "I would have bitten your hand off if you told me this would all happen."
His story underscores the hidden talent within non-league football. "Without Baller League, you wouldn't have known players like myself," Sayoud states. "There's talent in non-league, it’s just about enhancing it and exposing it to the right audience."
