Wilson's World Cup Dream Pushes Him Toward a 100-Goal Milestone

Wilson's World Cup Dream Fuels a Premier League Pursuit

Calum Wilson, West Ham's striker, used the international break to sort out personal matters, yet his focus remains fixed on a bigger objective: a summer trip to the United States with England to take part in the World Cup.

Wilson, 33, knows the dream may seem like fantasy to some. His teammates were surprised when he told them before the 2022 World Cup that he would be in the squad bound for Qatar, and the dream came true.

Throughout his career, Wilson has often been overlooked, but he stays stubbornly determined to succeed and to get his aims regardless of the odds.

Last summer, the former Newcastle United forward turned down a Saudi move, preferring a West Ham deal packed with incentives, aiming to reach the hundred-goal milestone in the Premier League.

Being part of the list of 34 players who have scored 100 Premier League goals is one of his daily targets, alongside a goal to catch the eye of England coach Thomas Tuchel.

In an interview with The Sun, Wilson said: "I have a dream to reach 100 goals, and it is written for me. There are personal targets I want to hit, and I want to be available for as many games as possible."

He added: "There is a World Cup coming, and I will stay convinced inside myself – until the final squad is named – that if I get a run of games, I will give my best."

He continued: "Last time before the World Cup, I wrote in my notebook that I was going to the tournament. People asked what I would do during the winter break; my notebook said I was going to the World Cup. Some think I'm living in a dream. That's the problem."

He also said: "When you believe in yourself that much, some think you are on the edge of madness. But there have been people with me along the way who saw me say something and then achieve it. I achieve these things. And every time I am left out, I come back stronger."

Many believed the idea of Wilson joining the '100 club' was fantasy in 2017, when he had just 11 league goals, before a second ACL injury halted his ascent.

Eight years on, a goal against Burnley – his second for West Ham – pushed him to 90, signaling the long road to three figures.

The first 41 goals came for Bournemouth, and he returns to the club this week for the first time since leaving; despite moving to Newcastle United in 2020, he has not faced his former team at home.

Wilson said: "I look forward to this personally... returning to the place that was a significant step in my career, where I made my name and helped the club achieve big things for years. I have scored many goals in this ground, at both ends, so of course I can score against them. It's the same stage."

The drive to reach 100 goals was the biggest factor in his decision to stay in England last summer after leaving Newcastle, turning down lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia and South America.

He added: "That was probably the key factor in my decision. I spent difficult years with injuries, then Alexander Isak showed great form, leaving me on the bench. That was not what I pictured for my final seasons in the Premier League. I'm a fighter. I did not want to give up and go to another league just for money. That's not my goal."

Wilson also takes personal motivation seriously; he invests in art, admiring the French artist Mr. Brainwash, whose works carry motivational messages. His shin guards bear a family image with the phrase: "What defines us is our ability to rise after the fall."

Wilson affirmed: "That phrase has guided me through many tough times. It was on my phone screen when I suffered the ACL injury. This is me in a sentence. Everyone faces setbacks, but the key is how you bounce back."

He draws strength from setbacks and repeated omissions, saying: "I was left out after my first ACL injury... I came back. Then I was injured again... and left out again... but the question is always: how do you come back? With humility, every time I returned I reached a remarkable level."

Ahead of the World Cup, he recovered from injury, then scored six goals in six games, earned a place in the squad, and not everyone believed it.

And he added: "Of course I hear what is said. I am not blind to talk; perhaps my name appears in a TV report... or you see something on Instagram... or even a manager drops you from the lineup... how do you cope? Do you use it as fuel? Or do you stay at home, wandering? There is only one way out of any situation: work for it."

Punchlines to close: if goals had a sniper scope, Wilson would be ringing the century bell. And if ambition were a license to shoot, he already has a full quota for Wembley’s goalposts to envy.