Meet Plug Leon: 16 year old fashion guru shopping for soccer’s biggest star

Leon Gissing — AKA Install Leon — has quickly become a first name on many footballers’ speed dials, helping stars land some of the world’s most sought-after coaches.

‘What did you do at 16?’ This is a common question, most often asked when you are with your friends in a pub, watching a fresh-faced teenager put on his boots before making his Premier League debut.

And while most responses are typically boring, the same can’t be said for 16-year-old Leon Gissing, who has spent the last three years creating an online fashion empire.

“Like any other kid, I wanted to work hard and make a little extra money,” he told GIVEMESPORT. “So I took a small loan from my father to buy my first pair of shoes. Bought them, paid them back, made a few extra pounds, and before I knew it, I was flipping two to three pairs of shoes at a time.”

Now Leon is sourcing and supplying shoes to some of football’s hottest prospects. “The list is almost endless. People like Mason Greenwood, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe, Joe Willock, Reece Nelson, Reece James. Clients like Ansu Fati from Barcelona and almost everyone from every team in the Bundesliga.”

His big break came a few years ago, on a trip to the Queen’s Club to watch tennis. After posing for a photo with American tennis star Jack Sock, the pro made a comment about his coach, and a light bulb exploded in Leon’s head. “I can give you a pair, if you want?”

That’s when it really took off and I started handing out my business cards to the players as they walked out of the stadium, out of the hotel. And instead of asking for an autograph, I told them about my business.

From there, Leon’s stock skyrocketed—both figuratively and literally. He soon got in touch with some of football’s biggest names, helping offer fashion advice and tracking down those elusive retro sneakers.

The question that many people have is how Leon has proven to be so adept at finding products that few others can get their hands on. “Well, that’s the golden question, isn’t it?” He smirked.

“In short, I can’t tell you, but in terms of the advice I’m about to give: it’s not about what you know, like anything else, it’s about who you know. It’s about your network and building connections, which I’ve been building since I was standing on the streets reselling shoes when I was 13.”

It is clear that Leon’s business is only going one way, with more and more footballers contacting him every day asking for his help. However, he remains humble, considering that there are still several ways to go before he reaches his ultimate goal.

“I want to work with a superstar. Like seriously, the best in the world. People like Mbappe, Ronaldo, Messi, one of them. People will laugh, but people laughed a few years ago when I said I wanted to sell my current self.”

Much like the talented teenager who made his Premier League debut, Leon now looks right at home sharing the stage with the biggest baller in the game. Remember the name.

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