Ezri Konsa (foto: Getty Images)
Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa shared the surprising nickname Prince William gave him and explained the royal’s passion for the club.
Ezri Konsa revealed a memorable moment from inside the Aston Villa dressing room after sharing the nickname that Prince William gave him.
The England defender admitted he was surprised to discover how closely the Prince of Wales follows Villa and their players.
Prince William has become a familiar face at Villa Park and recently visited the dressing room following Villa’s Europa League semi-final victory over Nottingham Forest.
He is also expected to attend the upcoming European final in Istanbul.
Konsa explained that meeting the future King still feels unusual.
“It’s weird because on game day, when he comes in, you focus on the game.”
“You don’t realize how big it is that he is coming in to greet everyone.”
“Sometimes you go home and think, ‘I just shook his hand, and he knows my name.’”
Then Konsa revealed the detail that stayed with him the most.
“I don’t know very much about his football knowledge, but he called me a Rolls-Royce!”
“I’ll take that. That stuck in my head. It’s nice.”
Konsa also explained that Prince William’s support for Villa has been constant since he arrived at the club.
“He’s a Villa fan. Ever since I joined, he has shown unreal support and respect.”
The defender added that not every player immediately recognized the importance of the royal visit.
“Some of the players didn’t know who he was beforehand because they are from different countries, so for them to learn who he is, it’s big.”
Konsa also spoke about manager Unai Emery and explained why players trust the Spaniard so strongly.
“The first thing he wanted was to get Villa back into European football and he did that.”
“You believe in him because of his career and the trophies he has won.”
“What makes him special? His attention to detail, his passion, his dedication, and the hours he puts in.”
Villa now has the chance to end a long wait for European success.
Konsa knows exactly what lifting the trophy would mean.
“We haven’t won a European trophy in 44 years, so it would be special to do it.”
Emery himself understands the competition better than most after winning the Europa League four times.
“Europe means a lot because it gave me a lot in the past. But my experience is most important here with Aston Villa.”