Life has become a whole lot different for West Ham United captain Jarrod Bowen throughout the last 18 months.
On 22 May 2023, Bowen and his fiancée Dani welcomed their twins Summer and Star into the world, which has added further meaning to this important time of year.
Two weeks after becoming a Dad, Bowen wrote his name into West Ham folklore by scoring the winning goal in the UEFA Europa Conference League final in Prague. Then, the 2023/24 season saw him crowned Hammer of the Year by supporters at the end of a successful campaign that saw him write his name into the history books by smashing a host of personal and Club records.
Amidst all the trophies, goals, assists and accolades, though, the birth of his two girls is the most exciting chapter yet in Jarrod’s life and, as he prepares for a second Christmas as a father, Bowen says his children put them all into perspective.
“Last year, when the twins were born, it was definitely the greatest gift of all,” smiled Bowen. “When you can enjoy all of the different seasons that we celebrate, such as Christmas, which is the pinnacle for me and is my favourite season, it is incredibly special.
“Christmas is a lot different now with the twins, and I think this year will be even more special as they’re now up and walking. It'll really special to see them opening their presents on Christmas Day, and ever since they’ve been born, Christmases have been even more special than before.
“Christmas last year was amazing, as it was the first one with them, but they were really young. Now that they’re a bit older, I’m really excited for Christmas this time around, and I’m just excited to spend the day with them as they’re a little bit more alert and understanding.
“I think the festive period is always a special time for people and a celebration, especially with the football and the schedule. For me, I’ve always been one that absolutely loves Christmas, and I’m really close to my family and have quite a big extended family as well, so it’s a day of celebration where everyone can get together and enjoy spending time together.
“Christmas always starts on the first day of December, and I also have my birthday five days before Christmas, so I’m always ready for it as I know it’s also my birthday as well! Christmas means everything to me and is a really special family day, which is something that is close to me as I am a real family person.”
The festive period for a footballer in England is special, but also relentless. West Ham’s game with Southampton on Boxing Day will be our third in the space of ten days before we close 2024 with a fixture against Liverpool at London Stadium on 29 December.
Bowen shared an insight into life as a footballer during the festive fixture list and recalled the Irons’ famous 2-0 win over Arsenal last season at the Emirates Stadium as one of his favourite footballing memories over Christmas.
“It’s one of the busiest periods of the year, but for me, I love playing football, and I think it’s even better at Christmas because I grew up being a football fan, and I was always excited for that game on Boxing Day and the games just before and after Christmas,” Bowen explained. “I think Boxing Day is special for the fans because they have Christmas Day with their loved ones and then come and watch their team the next day on Boxing Day. To be involved in it is really special.
“Every manager has different preferences. Some managers want players to train in the morning, and some want to train in the afternoon, while there are some who give you the day off and just play on Boxing Day. I think this year is the first time in my career that we’ve played away on Boxing Day, as I’ve always been quite lucky to be playing at home, so you’re able to stay at home the night before.
“It’ll be a different experience for me, but it’s one of those things where you’re in a very privileged position as a professional football player, so you always have to take a step back, look at what you are doing and realise that it’s worth it, even though the sacrifices are hard. I think that makes it even more special to be able to spend those extra few hours together on Christmas Day with your family.
“As you become more involved in football and have been part of it for as many years as I’ve been lucky to be, you understand your body and what you need before a game and what you don’t need. Everyone is different; some people can eat a whole Christmas dinner and go out and drop a masterclass performance. For me, I know what works so that I can still enjoy myself and have a Christmas dinner, albeit a smaller one than what you’d want, but that’s why we’ve got Boxing Day, to hopefully have a second celebration after the game has finished. Football is a very disciplined sport, and you’ve got to take care of everything you do and keep yourself as right as possible for every single game.”
Bowen has enjoyed some memorable Christmas fixtures down the years, but none more so than the short trip to north London last December.
“One of my favourite highlights around the festive period would probably be when we beat Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates last year to conclude the year on the best possible note,” he confirmed.
“It was a fantastic win against a side who hadn’t lost a home game all season until that point and were fighting for the title. It’s one of those games you always want to win for the fans and want to end the year on a positive note, so it’s one of those that sticks in my memory!”
