Kenneth Zohore, Cardiff City’s powerful young striker, takes inspiration from his cousin – former Chelsea hit-man Didier Drogba.
The two men met a couple of time when Zohore played for FC Copenhagen in a European Champions tie against Chelsea.
Both played for their respective teams and swapped mobile numbers after the second leg.
Zohore was 17-years-old when he met Drogba and said: “We talked back and forth, but it was just quietly.
“I asked if he remembered me and he recognise me my face, but when he looked at my name on the Copenhagen shirt and he realised we are cousins.”
Danish under-21 international Zohore was born in Copenhagen, but his father and Drogba are both from Ivory Coast.
The 6ft 3ins Zohore, a hugely successful half-time substitute for the Bluebirds in their 2-1 midweek win against Wolves, is certain to be involved when Barnsley visit Cardiff City Stadium this Saturday (3pm).
He surprised manager Neil Warnock, supporters and even himself with the sheer quality of his performance, leading the attack with pace and power.
“I think Ken surprised himself, let alone me!” said Warnock. “He spent a few minutes with me at half-time and he knew it was, like, do or die.
“I asked ‘what do you want to do with your life?’ and I talked to him again on the pitch after the game.
“I said ‘that’s what I want and what I expect’. Maybe he simply did not know the extent of his ability, but it’s true Wolves could not handle him.”
Zohore, who had trial spells at Chelsea and Inter Milan as a teenager, impressed when he scored twice for Cardiff’s under-23 development team last month and has now edged ahead of Frederic Gounongbe in the Bluebirds pecking order.
Former England international Rickie Lambert, an unused substitute against Wolves, remains City’s leading centre-forward, but Zohore has certainly caught the attention of Warnock.
He was initially signed on loan from Belgian club KV Kortrijk, with French forward Idriss Saadi going the other way, and signed a three-year contract last summer.
Zohore scored two goals in two Championship starts last season and went on as a substitute 10 times.
Cardiff are sixth from bottom, climbing out of the relegation zone thanks to their 2-1 win against Wolves when Matt Connolly and Anthony Pilkington scored the goals.
Warnock replaced Lex Immers and Keiran Richardson at half-time and they are highly unlikely to play against Barnsley.
Substitutes Zohore and Craig Noone both did well and staked a big claim to keep there places, although City will consider whether the experienced Lambert should lead the attack.
Sol Bamba serves the second and final match his suspension with the impressive Bruno Manga certain to play alongside captain Sean Morrison again.
Manga still looks likely to leave the Bluebirds when the January transfer window opens and Warnock says: “It all depends on finance.
“Bruno has never been out of my thoughts. He has been excellent in training and knows what I want and ask of Sol Bamba.
“And Bruno was like Sol against Wolves. He did really well.”
Cardiff City: Amos; Connolly, Manga, Morrison (capt), Peltier; Noone, Whittingham, Gunnarsson, Hoilett; Pilkington, Zohore or Lambert.
