Fatherhood on the Pitch: The Changing Role of Footballers as Dads
A New Perspective on the Player’s Mindset
Football is a game of passion, strategy, and physical prowess. Yet, as players grow both physically and emotionally, so does their perspective on life, especially with fatherhood entering the frame. Erling Haaland, a Manchester City star, illustrated this beautifully when he attributed his prolific goal-scoring form to the recent birth of his son. “You can be physically ready, but you need to be mentally ready as well,” he told Sky Sports, adding that his son helps him disengage from the intensity of the sport and relax more fully at home.
Balancing the Beautiful Game and Priceless Moments
The journey into fatherhood often brings challenges, such as lack of sleep or household responsibilities, that impinge on players’ performance. Danny Hollands, a father of triplets, shares tales of squeezing in rest during away matches and regimenting life like an “army camp.” Despite the trials, Hollands had a stellar season, proving that meeting paternal duties head-on can fuel on-field success.
Inspirational Role Models: Players’ Tales
Players like Curtis Jones and Alex Kenyon exemplify how fatherhood can revitalize their game, offering new purpose and personal joy. Following the birth of his daughter, Jones celebrated his fresh perspective, while Kenyon recounts the motivational push that parenthood provides, driving him to succeed both as a player and a coach. “You don’t get as much sleep, but it gives me more of a purpose,” reflects Kenyon.
Personal Sacrifices and Professional Commitments
Despite its evolving nature, the notion of taking paternity leave remains alien in the football world. Players fear losing their place or competitive edge and opt to stay connected to the team, often making hurried returns after their child’s birth. Recent accounts, like that of Troy Deeney, exemplify the prevailing sentiment: “I’ve had about six hours sleep in four days, but you would have had to nail me to the floor to make me not play.”
Changing the Game Off the Field
However, it’s not entirely bleak. Attitudes are gradually shifting toward family considerations, with notable instances of players skipping matches to support their partners during childbirth, as seen with Kingsley Coman and Phil Foden. Despite these strides, full paternity leave in professional football still seems distant.
Football may have a rich history of on-field heroics, but its journey into embracing fatherhood as a significant aspect of players’ lives is still underway. According to The New York Times, this evolving relationship between football and fatherhood reveals deeper layers to the game beyond the stadium lights.
