With two goals at home to West Bromwich, Sema was the big hero for Watford in the league game in the championship series at the end of February. After the match, the Swede gave an interview that went viral.

In the days and weeks that followed, the 29-year-old who had stuttered since he was six suddenly became a role model for millions. That’s without even understanding anything.

– I played a good match, scored two goals, was voted the best on the field and the team won. Everything is just joy and fun. Then I did the interview, which is completely normal for me. Suddenly everything was out of proportion, said Sema Sky Sports.

Watch the interview with Ken Sema, published on Watford’s Twitter channel after the game against West Bromwich on 20 February:

The interview, which was published on the club’s website Twitter account after the game, at the time of writing it has been viewed over 11 million times.

By comparison, the video of Erling Braut Haaland that Manchester City posted on Twitter after the Norwegian scored five goals against RB Leipzig in the Champions League “only” had around 150,000 views.

– At first I thought: “How did this happen?”. I was doing very normal interviews after winning and all of a sudden people started saying, “What a guy. role models. Inspiration and heroes”. I didn’t see it coming because I didn’t feel like it.

Touching response

Premier League players Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham) and Anthony Elanga (Manchester United) both paid tribute to their national team mates. So are Leeds’ Luke Ayling and boxer Caleb Plant, who are among the world’s best in their weight class.

Others also bounced off the wave of positive feedback.

“From a Watford supporter who stutters, I can’t thank you enough”, “A winner both on and off the pitch”, “An interview that will inspire many” and “Thank you for breaking down the barriers and stigma associated with stuttering” was one of the reactions Sema received after the interview.

– There was so much love, joy and happiness, and I was completely overwhelmed. I was affected emotionally because I didn’t force anything. I am of course happy and grateful for all the feedback, said Sema.

– Success story

In an interview with Sky Sports, Sema said stuttering was a part of his life in elementary school. Several appointments with a speech therapist remained in vain as the Swede spoke so well every time he tried to get help.

Thus, he quickly noticed his stuttering. The chairman of the Norwegian Association of Stuttering and Stuttering Speech (NIFS), Jon-Øivind Finbråten, credits Ken Sema for creating acceptance around stuttering.

– It’s great to hear someone say, “See, I stutter, but that shouldn’t stop me from doing what I want in life.”. “It’s very important and good that we can get some role models in sport who can also be open about who they are without feeling like they have to hide it,” he told NRK.

Approximately 50,000 of the adult population in Norway are of ethnic origin. Finbråten believes that the attention Sema received after the interview shows that society has a way to go to normalize stuttering.

– The fact that the stutter went so viral says something about the need for role models, but also to normalize the stutter and see that someone has a relaxed relationship with it. In England, studies have been conducted showing that between 60 and 70 percent of those who stutter are actively trying to hide it, says Finbråten.

– This can have very negative consequences. Imagine being a teenager, always hiding who you are to fit in. Quite tiring, he added.

Hope to help as many people as possible

Media officer at Watford, Richard Walker, told NRK that Sema will in future work actively with support organizations for children and adults in the UK who stutter.

Sema said in an interview with Sky Sports that he hopes his own story can help both children and adults who feel taboo about their stutter.

– This is something bigger than myself. If I have the opportunity to help, whether it’s big or small, I want to do it every time. I know that a lot of people can take challenges by stuttering but in the end it’s about confidence, concluded the Watford man.