The introduction to English football could not have gone better for Dominik Szoboszlai after signing for Liverpool last summer. Within weeks of making his Premier League debut, he was earning comparisons to club legend Steven Gerrard.
The energy, athleticism, ball carrying, ball striking and all-round technical quality were attributes to marvel at.
Hungary need Szoboszlai to be the best version of himself for the upcoming tournament. He is their star man. His quality and leadership qualities earned him the captaincy in 2022, aged 21, and Hungary have only lost one of the following 16 games since.
Szoboszlai has dealt with pressure and expectation for most of his life. From an early age, he was pinpointed as the country’s next big hope. His secret weapon is his small feet. Szoboszlai’s feet are a size seven, helped by the midfielder wearing boots that were slightly too small for him.
In Hungary, members of the older generation have a theory that if you are “blessed” with small feet, there’s a far greater chance of succeeding as a footballer, dating back to the country’s greatest player, Ferenc Puskas.
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The Radar – The Athletic’s Euro 2024 scouting guide
