Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man may have retired from sprints, he is turning his passion elsewhere: professional soccer.
The eight-time Olympic gold medalist, says he has a trial set with Borussia Dortmund in March.
But the possibility of playing for the German club, despite it being one
of the most popular is Europe, is not what’s drawing the Jamaican
sprinter to the sport.
“One of my biggest dreams is to sign for Manchester United,” Bolt said in an interview with The Express.
“If
Dortmund say I’m good enough, I’ll crack on and train hard. I’ve spoken
to (Man United coaching legend) Alex Ferguson and I told him he needs
to put in a good word. He told me if I get fit and ready, he will see
what he can do.”
According to NY Times,Bolt, 31, a longtime Man United fan, retired from
the track after damaging his hamstring at the World Championships in
London in August. However, he told The Express that the injury is “now
fine and I’m back to fully fit.”
Still, Bolt admitted that the swagger he showed throughout his four
Olympic Games and record-breaking runs has yet to transfer on the soccer
field.
“It makes me nervous,” Bolt said of the upcoming trial. “I don’t get
nervous but this is different, this is football now. It’ll take time to
adjust but once I play a few times I’ll get used to it. It was the same
when I started track and field. I was nervous for a while until I
started getting used to the crowd, people and everyone around and it
falls into place.”
Bolt has for years shared his goal of crossing over into soccer, but no
matter how far he takes it, he’ll always be remembered first and
foremost as the greatest sprinter of all time.
