Fathers, Sons and Soccer: Reflections on the Family Business

I had a few options for my first professional deal. New York City F.C. wanted to sign me. So did Manchester City. But once an offer came from Borussia Dortmund, I couldn’t say no. It was everything about the club, the opportunities they gave to young players. And it was a chance to step away, to create my own path, to do my own thing.

I think my dad understood that, from my perspective, the connection was a bit stressful. There were times when I was coming through with the national team that it was difficult to have the name. I was good at 13 and 14, but it was not until a little later that I really took off. I wasn’t always the best player on the team, and people thought I could get away with more. Maybe, at times, it was true.

He gave me advice when I knew I could turn professional, but mainly he just put me out there and let me decide where I wanted to go. He has always wanted what I wanted. He is the opposite of pushy, really: When I was little, he never told me to go out and train five times a day. What pushed me on was my competitive streak, my willingness to be better than others.

He was, at times, a bit hard on me: He always focused on what had to get better. He often wouldn’t tell me if I’d had a good game. But he knew what I had to improve to make it to the highest level.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/sports/soccer/erling-haaland-gio-reyna-thuram.html