Dominik Szoboszlai: The sensational prodigy bringing the glory days back to Hungary
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Hungary has long had a reputation for nurturing some of football’s most prodigious talents. Dominik Szoboszlai is one such youngster who has the world at his feet and is seen as the man to bring the glory days back to the Hungarian national team. Szoboszlai is only 22 years old, yet he possesses leadership qualities usually reserved for a man several years his senior and footballing skills usually only seen once in a generation. Such is his ability that his presence in the starting line-up influences online betting in Texas, across Europe, and the world over.
Szoboszlai is an incredible talent. European football’s most prominent clubs had him locked firmly in their sights when it became known that RB Leipzig was open to selling him for the right price. Liverpool of the English Premier League beat everyone to Szoboszlai’s signature, and he now plies his trade on the biggest stage. Want to know more about the young man carrying the weight of a nation on his shoulders?
The Early Years
Szoboszlai’s journey to football stardom began in the picturesque Hungarian town of Székesfehérvár. His father, Zsolt Szoboszlai, was a professional footballer in the Austrian lower leagues. Zsolt wanted his son to follow in his footsteps and began training him from the age of three by placing plastic bottles on the ground for the young Szoboszlai to dribble a football around.
They say practice makes perfect, and it did not take long before scouts noticed Szoboszlai’s natural ability. FC Liefering in Austria, a club known for its commitment to young talent, offered Szoboszlai the chance to join their youth academy.
He made his debut for Liefering as a tender 17-year-old on July 21, 2017, and scored his first professional goal two weeks later. Szoboszlai played 42 games in midfield for Liefering, scoring 16 times.
The Move to RB Salzburg
Many of Europe’s top clubs were monitoring Szoboszlai’s progress after a stellar start to his career. RB Salzburg, one of Austria’s top clubs, secured Szoboszlai’s signature. It is fair to say Szoboszlai hit the ground running despite the obvious step up in the quality of the opposition he faced. His growth continued rapidly, with his midfield performances showcasing his ability to dictate play and create goal-scoring opportunities, and he showed he knew where the goal was.
In December 2019, he scored a last-minute winner in the UEFA Champions League against Liverpool. Little did he know then that he would eventually turn out in the famous red shirt of Liverpool.
Szoboszlai spent three years with RB Salzburg, scoring 26 goals in 83 appearances in all competitions.
Moving to RB Leipzig
In January 2021, Szoboszlai embarked on a new journey when he put pen to paper with RB Leipzig of the German Bundesliga. The German team paid a reported €20 million for the up-and-coming star, making him the most expensive Hungarian player in history. Injuries prevented Szoboszlai from making an appearance during the 2020-21 season.
Szoboszlai shone for RB Leipzig in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns, playing in a total of 91 games in the Bundesliga, cup competition, and Europe and finding the back of the net 20 times.
Becoming Liverpool’s Future Captain
Liverpool, one of the most famous clubs in world football, was overhauling its midfield after the 2022-23 season. Head coach Jurgen Klopp earmarked Szoboszlai as his priority signing. Upon learning RB Leipzig has inserted a release clause into Szoboszlai’s contract, the Premier League giants met RB Leipzig’s valuation of €70 million and happily made the bank transfer.
Life in Liverpool has started well for Szoboszlai, with the youngster already putting in Player of the Match performances. He made his Liverpool debut in the season’s opening game in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea and scored his first Liverpool goal in a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa.
Klopp has described Szoboszlai as “a beast,” the faithful Liverpool supporters are already singing the Hungarian’s praises.
The International Star
Szoboszlai represented the Hungarian national team at Under-17 level, where he was the team captain and a stand-out performer. He also captained the Under-19 team and progressed to the Under-21 side despite only being 17.
In June 2017, still aged 17, Szoboszlai received his first full international call-up but did not feature in the games against Russia or Andorra. In March 2019, Szoboszlai made his international debut in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Slovakia. His first goal in the famous red of Hungary also came against Slovakia later in the qualification process.
By November 2022, Szoboszlai was one of the first names on the Hungary team sheet. Following the retirement of Ádám Szalai and a long-term injury to Péter Gulácsi, Szoboszlai was appointed captain of the national team, a significant honor in any player’s eyes.
To date, Szoboszlai has scored seven goals in 34 games for Hungary. If Szoboszlai manages to stay relatively injury-free throughout his career, there is no doubt that he will break Balázs Dzsudzsák‘s national team appearance record of 109 caps.
The Hope of Hungarian Football
Hungary has a rich footballing history thanks to the “Golden Team” of the 1950s achieving legendary status. The likes of Nándor Hidegkuti, Sándor Kocsis, and the iconic Ferenc Puskás put Hungarian football on the map. Things have not been as rosy for the Hungarian national team since those memorable days, but the good times could be returning with Szoboszlai in the starting XI.
Szoboszlai has abundant technical brilliance, drawing comparisons to some of the game’s greatest playmakers. He has vision and creativity beyond his years, and his goal-scoring ability is incredible for such a young midfielder.
It is not only Szoboszlai’s ability that could be the catalyst for the return of glory days to Hungarian football but also the fact he is an inspiration to millions of young Hungarians. Football-crazy kids will watch Szoboszlai and want to emulate him. They know that although much of Szoboszlai’s talent is natural, he has spent countless hours honing his skills, so anything is possible with hard work and dedication.