Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho Says Ronaldinho Was His 'Role Model' Growing Up
Feb 13, 2019
DORTMUND, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 09: Jadon Sancho of Borussia Dortmund looks on during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at Signal Iduna Park on February 9, 2019 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/TF-Images via Getty Images)
Borussia Dortmund starlet Jadon Sancho has revealed his admiration for former Barcelona and Brazil star Ronaldinho.
The 18-year-old will face Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday in his first club game at Wembley Stadium, though he has played there before as an England international.
Per Goal's David Binder, Sancho spoke ahead of the clash and said: "I've always wanted to be a professional footballer, make people watch me and say 'whoa,' like how I used to watch Ronaldinho and go 'wow, I want to be like him one day.' Hopefully, I could become that level one day and players will look up to me and say 'wow.'"
On his desire to emulate Ronaldinho, he added: "My role model was Ronaldinho. The reason behind that is how he just beat people with ease and did things that no one else was doing at his time. That's why it was him."
Another role model for the youngster has been team-mate Marco Reus, as he discussed with Raphael Honigstein for BT Sport:
"My friends even say it's so crazy that I'm playing with Marco Reus!"
Jadon Sancho has taken his #ChampionsLeague dream from FIFA to reality 🙌
Tonight he returns to London as one of the brightest prospects in European football 💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/OHXcTgG80c
Per Binder, he elaborated on his relationship with the Germany star:
"Reus, his case is that he's helped me mature as a player, he can tell when I'm having my game and I'm not.
"You can see, when he talked to me after I scored against Frankfurt, he was saying 'Relax, be yourself, you have nothing to lose, you're playing well so far.'
"Frankfurt was a big game and I was a bit nervous and you could tell I was a bit off it but eventually I got into the game."
Sancho has established himself as a regular fixture in the team this campaign with 17 starts in all competitions.
The winger—who predominantly plays on the right but has also spent time on the left this season—has rewarded the faith of manager Lucien Favre with an impressive return of eight goals and 13 assists.
He got one of each in Dortmund's 3-3 draw with Hoffenheim on Saturday:
That he is already showing plenty of end product only makes him more exciting, and he'll be eager to show what he can do on home soil on Wednesday in what is arguably the biggest game of his career.
It could be a close tie between Spurs and the Bundesliga leaders, so it could fall to players such as Sancho to make the difference for their side.
Borussia Dortmund Confirm Marco Reus, Paco Alcacer Will Miss Spurs UCL Match
Feb 12, 2019
Borussia Dortmund confirmed on Tuesday that they will be without a number of key players for their UEFA Champions League showdown with Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, including Marco Reus and Paco Alcacer.
The team's official Twitter account posted a list of absentees on the eve of the match at Wembley, with right-back Lukasz Piszczek and midfielder Julian Weigl also out:
Without Reus and Alcacer manager Lucien Favre will be missing his most prolific forwards, making this clash against Spurs a big challenge for the team.
Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard noted that BVB will push Mario Gotze into attack as a result of these problems:
#thfc Good news for Spurs, as Dortmund quartet Marco Reus (thigh), Julian Weigl (illness), Paco Alcacer (shoulder) & Lukasz Piszczek (foot) all miss the trip to London. Gotze likelt to play up front.
So far in 2018-19 both Reus and Alcacer have excelled for Dortmund, scoring 13 and 12 times respectively in the Bundesliga. Their predatory instincts in front of goal were key to BVB progressing as group winners in the Champions League and have helped Borussia to a five-point lead at the top of the league standings.
Reus has long been besieged by injury issues, although Favre has been able to find a way of getting him on the field more often this term. That's been a major boost for Dortmund, as his creativity, dribbling skill and nose for goals have added an edge to their attacks.
As these figures illustrate, the Germany international enjoyed a return to his best last year:
24 – Birthday boy @LeroySane19 turns 23 today. He was involved in 24 goals in the @premierleague (10 goals, 14 assists) for @ManCity in 2018, more than any other German player in the big 5 European leagues. Outstanding. pic.twitter.com/vlMvbovAiz
Alcacer has been an inspired signing for BVB, arriving on loan from Barcelona initially before the transfer was made permanent. Having struggled for minutes at the Camp Nou, he's been a major threat up top for Favre's team, with his penalty-box instincts razor sharp.
The other two players not involved will also leave Favre with headaches, as the team is short of options at the back.
As of late Weigl has been filling in at centre-back for Dortmund alongside Abdou Diallo, with Manuel Akanji injured. Ronan Murphy of Goal thinks he'll be a tough man to replace:
Never mind Marco Reus, Dortmund's biggest absentee against Spurs is world class centre-back Julian Weigl. #BVB
Tottenham have injury woes of their own to contend with ahead of the game. Like Dortmund, they will be without two of their most important attackers in Harry Kane and Dele Alli.
The injuries are unlikely to dampen the enthusiasm among supporters ahead of what promises to be a fascinating contest between two exciting teams. Both Dortmund and Spurs performed admirably in the group stages of the competition, progressing from challenging pools, and will consider themselves dark horses for this title.
Jadon Sancho Says Christian Pulisic Inspired Him to Leave Man City for Dortmund
Feb 8, 2019
DORTMUND, GERMANY - OCTOBER 31: Marco Reus of Borussia Dortmund celebrates after scoring his team's third goal with Jadon Malik Sancho of Borussia Dortmund and Christian Pulisic of Borussia Dortmund during the DFB Cup match between Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Union Berlin at Signal Iduna Park on October 31, 2018 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/ Getty Images)
England prospect Jadon Sancho says Chelsea-bound midfielder Christian Pulisic inspired him to leave the home comforts of Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund.
Pulisic left his Pennsylvania home in the United States to join Dortmund in 2015 and was promoted to their first team at only 17. Sancho was the same age when he joined the Black and Yellows from City for £8 million in August 2017, and he told ESPN FC's Raphael Honigstein of the influence Pulisic had on his decision:
"The club had shown with a player like Christian Pulisic that they were going in the right way, playing youngsters and giving them a chance. He came from the same situation as me, leaving his family behind.
"He was so young, and he was brave enough. America is a lot further away than England and he's taken a bigger step than I have done. How he's handled that, what he does on the pitch, his mentality [towards] football, it's just crazy. The passion he has. I admire him."
Chelsea confirmed in January that they had agreed a deal to sign Pulisic and loan him back to Dortmund until the summer. BVB announced the transfer was worth €64 million (£56 million), representing the highest fee ever commanded by a player from the United States and coming only four years after he arrived in Europe.
Sancho has responded similarly well to his newfound first-team promotion and has scored seven goals to go along with his 12 assists in all competitions this season.
Statman Dave hailed that as an elite figure for any player, never mind one who doesn't turn 19 until March:
Across Europe’s top five leagues, only Eden Hazard & Lionel Messi (both 10) have registered more assists than Jadon Sancho (9).
Pulisic's departure for west London actually aids Sancho in terms of competition down Dortmund's right side, but the former City starlet—who spent eight years in Watford's academy—continued to gush over the Chelsea signing:
"He's an outstanding player, I really do look up to him. Him going away from home shows that you have to do things to get out of your comfort zone, sometimes.
"I feel it's worked for him and it's working for me now, because we're both staying focussed and keep training hard."
The challenge for Pulisic now before he arrives in England is maintaining the same standards despite a raised awareness of his talent and the expectations that follow.
He recently put Dortmund ahead with a fine finish in extra time during their 3-3 draw against Werder Bremen in the DFB-Pokal round of 16 (Dortmund lost 7-5 on penalties), via ESPN FC:
If his blueprint is one Sancho could hope to follow, it could light the way for a fairytale return to the Premier League complete with major transfer fee—providing he wants to come back.
Dortmund's approach to developing their youth stars in the senior side continues to pay dividends, meanwhile, as Pulisic is moved on for huge profit only for another star prospect to take his place.
Jadon Sancho Says He Intends to Stay at Borussia Dortmund Amid Transfer Rumours
Jan 10, 2019
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY - DECEMBER 08: Jadon Sancho of Dortmund celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Bundesliga match between FC Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund at Veltins-Arena on December 8, 2018 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/TF-Images via Getty Images)
Borussia Dortmund starlet Jadon Sancho has said he is happy in the Bundesliga amid speculation regarding his future.
Following a sensational rise at the German giants and a brilliant beginning to the 2018-19 campaign, Sancho has been linked with some of the biggest clubs in European football. Earlier in the season, the 18-year-old earned a call up to the England senior team on the back of his form.
Rumours have swirled at times as a result, although when asked about whether he intended to stay at Dortmund for the foreseeable future, Sancho was clear, per Stephen Crawford of Goal:
"I will. I just want to play football and I'm getting that opportunity here. I'm happy right now.
“[The language barrier] worried me quite a lot, but when I came and everyone started speaking English I got more comfortable. My German isn't the best but I'm learning, I have to learn.
“I've adapted really well. Obviously when I first came it was a bit difficult because I'm not around the corner from my house. But my family have helped me with that—and the club also."
MARBELLA, SPAIN - JANUARY 09: Jadon Sancho of Borussia Dortmund looks on during a training session as part of the Borussia Dortmund training camp on January 9, 2019 in Marbella, Spain. (Photo by TF-Images/TF-Images via Getty Images)
It was reported by Sky Sports in October that Paris Saint-Germain are "very interested" in signing the teenager, with Manchester United and Arsenal "also thought to be keen."
According to Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News, former club Manchester City have first refusal on the player should they match any potential bid.
Nevertheless, it doesn't appear as if the Dortmund winger has any ideas of leaving his current club. Given the way in which his game has developed this season under the guidance of manager Lucien Favre, that's understandable.
Scouted Football provided the numbers behind what was a 2018 to remember for the former City star:
Jadon Sancho (18) in all competitions for Borussia Dortmund in 2018:
Not only has Sancho showcased his quality in the Bundesliga this season, his goals and assists have been vital to Dortmund putting together a surprise title challenge. As things stand, they lead Bayern Munich by six points at the summit of the German top flight.
In Dortmund's final game before the winter break, they beat Borussia Monchengladbach, who were then second in the table, 2-1. Sancho scored and starred in that critical win.
Alex Chaffer is impressed by how well Sancho is doing considering he's still in the nascent stages of his football career:
Proof to the ridiculous talent at his age that Sancho possess. Only Timo Werner has ever had more goals than Sancho (7) at his current age.
Provided he continues to turn in performances and offer Dortmund productivity in the final third, rumours will constantly crop up.
Still, Sancho left City in order to play consistent football at a high level and make strides in his career. He's doing exactly that, and provided he continues on this upward trajectory, there's no need for the England star to think about going anywhere.
Christian Pulisic Agrees Chelsea Transfer: Is He Ready for the Premier League?
Jan 2, 2019
In the summer of 2016, Liverpool made an offer of £11 million for Christian Pulisic. There was a long-term vision to integrate him into the squad, bring him through as a first-team member and ease him into Premier League life without expectation or pressure.
The offer was rejected, and in the time that has passed, Liverpool's outlook changed. Jurgen Klopp, the man who first introduced Pulisic to the Borussia Dortmund first team, has built a side on Merseyside that are now leading the table and looking like they could win the title. As a result, he decided at the start of this season that their pursuit was up—Pulisic's name was crossed off their list of targets.
Since Liverpool's initial bid, Pulisic's value has soared, and we now have confirmation of a £58 million transfer to Chelsea. His huge price tag makes him a bigger signing than Fernando Torres, Diego Costa or Eden Hazard in terms of money spent, and when he arrives in London in the summer, there will be a weight of expectation.
Pulisic, aged 20 and with 23 international appearances for the USMNT to his name, has his chance to shine on the biggest stage of all. The big question: Is he ready for it?
Borussia Dortmund has agreed with @ChelseaFC on the transfer of Christian Pulisic for a fee of €64 million 📝
It has been a strange season for Pulisic. He has started just nine of Dortmund's 23 matches across Bundesliga and the Champions League, scoring twice and adding two assists. Part of the problem has been with muscle injuries, but his game time has also been limited because of the great form of Jadon Sancho, the exciting 18-year-old signed from Manchester City.
Sancho left City because he was not getting a chance in the Premier League, where it was perceived he was not quite ready. Strange, then, that Pulisic is heading in the opposite direction at a time when he is behind Sancho in the pecking order.
Kevin Hatchard is a Bundesliga commentator who has seen close up just how Pulisic has found himself on the fringes at Dortmund.
"He has been edged out of the first-team picture by Sancho, whose consistency has taken everyone by surprise," Hatchard tells Bleacher Report. "Sancho operates in the right-sided role that Pulisic excels in, so the American's been given just a handful of chances to shine, and he's looked like he's been a bit too desperate to impress each time."
Abel Meszaros is an analyst at Sport 1 and an expert on German football for Bundesliga Fanatic, and he feels the excitement around Pulisic has faded at Signal Iduna Park.
"Many Dortmund fans, and one suspects also people in the club, have soured on Pulisic—who is yet to crack 500 Bundesliga minutes this season. He lost his starting spot not only to Jadon Sancho but to Danish winger Jacob Bruun Larsen—a team-mate of Pulisic since BVB U17s," he explained.
"[Manager] Lucien Favre has even preferred to use Raphael Guerreiro over Pulisic at times. It speaks volumes of the difficulties for Pulisic this season recently that, as they played three Bundesliga matches in six days, he started and was invisible against Fortuna Dusseldorf—the only loss in a flawless fall season for Dortmund.
"That start was his first league one since late September against Leverkusen, where he struggled against Brazilian left-back Wendell, who was rated as the worst performing defender in the Bundesliga by Germany's prestigious Kicker magazine.
"He gave way to Jadon Sancho on 70 minutes and the rest, as they say, is history. The Englishman, who had been Pulisic's understudy in the previous games, came up with two gorgeous assists and Dortmund won 4-2."
Pulisic is a likeable guy, and anyone who comes into contact with him in a professional sense talks of his maturity and the lack of any ego. He has the personality and character to adapt quickly to life in London, and he retains a close relationship with family in America. His father, Mark, continues to play a big role in helping to guide him.
Yes, he has struggled this season, but Chelsea's scouting of him goes back years. Recruitment staff were undeterred by the fact he was not getting the game time he might have expected, and still there is an expectation that Pulisic has a huge future ahead of him.
"There's still so much we don't know about Pulisic's future—he is still only just out of his teens—but Dortmund were right to cash in on a player they deemed as not a cornerstone of the franchise, especially with the club's history of developing young talent over the last 10 years," adds Sport 1 analyst Meszaros. "Chelsea, and most English clubs on the other hand, can spend in a much more cavalier manner and will no doubt use the marketing aspects of the Pulisic deal to its fullest.
"While there is some truth to the 'win-win' phrase that BVB's Christian Pulisic used to describe the deal that will take him to Chelsea in the 2019/20 season, Dortmund are certainly the bigger winners of the two clubs."
They will consider themselves winners because they get to keep the player for this season's title push, where they hold top spot, and also collect a huge transfer fee. Chelsea fans will now begin to keep a close eye on his performances, no doubt.
In the U.S. he is viewed as the player who takes the sport to a new level. U.S. soccer fans have been waiting for a moment like this, when a talented product who spent his early years developing on American soil, gets a shot with an elite club in England.
Roger Gonzalez, a writer for CBS Sports, told B/R: "It's an extraordinary move, but one that isn't surprising. Having fallen behind Jadon Sancho at Dortmund, signs have pointed at an exit for most of the season. He's the third-most expensive player in Chelsea's history and shatters the transfer record for an American player.
"With that comes more pressure, but he's a player unlike any American we've ever seen and has the potential to be world class. With the presence of the Premier League in the United States and the supporters Chelsea have here, it's a move that makes sense for all parties."
Bundesliga commentator Hatchard has hope, too.
"Pulisic still has huge potential, and he should thrive in a 4-3-3 formation that he's familiar with. I think he'll do really well. Sarri's system and style should suit him down to the ground."
Bundesliga writer Chris Williams has a similar feeling. "He hasn't managed to hit the highs seen under Thomas Tuchel 18 months ago," he explains. "But his arrival at Stamford Bridge next season should see a reinvigorated player thrive on the wing. He'll still need development time, but with the right nurturing he could easily become world class in five years' time."
Five years is a long time in football—Sarri may not even be in charge at that stage. But Matt Law of the Telegraph reported how Chelsea wanted him even before Sarri took over in west London. There is hope that Pulisic becomes one of the club's great success stories, but progress is needed.
One Dortmund source told Bleacher Report that Chelsea will need to work on specific areas of Pulisic's game to fulfil his potential. He is dynamic and often decisive in the final third, but the need to help the team before that stage is seen as the area they are likely to focus on—particularly how to make him more influential with the ball when he drops further back.
But, as the source added: "His mentality is very impressive, he will make this move work for him."
Pulisic seems happiest when driving forward, and Meszaros explained: "Pulisic is an elite ball-carrier and great dribbler, leading in the number he attempted in Bundesliga last season. He can create efficient shots and finish quite well with both feet. In addition, he rarely takes bad shots from outside the box and is useful in open play."
In an interview with Jack Pitt-Brooke of The Independent in November 2017, Pulisic explained how he had to be strong-willed to make his name in Germany after joining Dortmund.
"Coming here, nothing was easy," he said. "I worked for it all. What I learned is that nothing is given easy to you. Nothing was going to be spoon-fed to me. That's why it was a huge step in my development, and the perfect environment for me."
Those close to Pulisic insist he knows he is not the finished article, and that he realises how far he still has to go to win over those who doubt his ability to become a top player in European football.
He has his own expectations, brings his own pressure and is motivated to make sure he proves himself at the top of the game.
