Cancer survivor Sébastien Haller has had a rough patch, but the thought of returning to the field has kept him going. The striker, recovering from a tumor, told German media how he has experienced the past six months.
Haller returned to the training field last week. He is proud of himself and others he has helped. “It’s been worth all the work of the past six months.”
The former Ajax player drew confidence from the recovery of others. “You meet a lot of people in the hospital who are better off than you at the time. That is sometimes hard to bear, but you have to believe that you will get better yourself. That helps a lot,” he commented.
He also drew support from conversations with fellow football players who were in a similar situation. “I have spoken a lot with Timo Baumgartl, Marco Richter and Jean-Paul Boëtius. Despite having the same diagnosis (testicular cancer, ed.), the disease develops differently for everyone. Yet we have always been able to give each other valuable tips,” the striker added.
What kept Haller going was the dream of playing his first game for Dortmund. “That moment has been on my mind since day one. That’s why you play for the club,” he concludes.
Marco Reus finds it very special to see Sébastien Haller back on the training field. In conversation with Kicker, he praises the mental toughness of the 28-year-old Frenchman. In July last year, a tumor was discovered in the striker’s testicles.
“I get goosebumps that he’s back on the pitch, we were just so happy he’s back. We all take our hats off to the fight he put up and how he is now coming back with mental strength. You see it every day: he already trains with us,” he says in the interview.
Of course, the Dortmund attacker realizes that the former Ajax player still has a way to go. “He’ll pull through, but we’d all do well to keep calm and give him time. It will take a while before he finds his rhythm,” the club legend said.
Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel also praises Haller.He complimented, ”Sébastien makes a very good impression. He looks very sharp. He managed to stay on a good level. That says something about his qualities and his will.”
