Usain Bolt delights fans by scoring in Dortmund training
Jamaica’s former sprinter Usain Bolt, center, takes part in a practice session of the Borussia Dortmund soccer squad in Dortmund, Germany, Friday, March 23, 2018. (Guido Kirchner/dpa via AP)
DORTMUND, Germany — Usain Bolt trained again with German soccer club Borussia Dortmund on Friday and this time scored a header and a penalty in front of nearly 1,500 spectators.
The 31-year-old retired sprint great took part in team exercises under coach Peter Stoeger, exchanging passes with Mario Goetze and others in the relaxed session.
“It was good,” Bolt said. “I had fun with the guys. They were very welcoming.”
Dortmund said 1,409 spectators came to see the eight-time Olympic champion in action. News agency DPA said there were 137 accredited journalists.
“Usain is an incredibly laid back guy, totally down to earth. I think it was fun for him,” Stoeger said. “And he got a stage that he had dreamed about.”
The German club broadcast the session live with commentary in English. Bolt later signed autographs for fans as photographers jostled for pictures.
“I think it worked out very well,” said Goetze, who won the World Cup with Germany in 2014. “Usain felt comfortable, we could accommodate him well. It was a cool exercise.”
It was Bolt’s second training session with the team. He took part in another behind closed doors on Thursday.
A delighted Nuri Sahin wrote on Twitter that it was a “big honor” to meet “the fastest man alive.” Other Dortmund players also posed for photographs with Bolt.
But Stoeger didn’t seem to think the Jamaican could make it in soccer today.
“He is at an age where I say he is no longer so incredibly capable of development,” the Austrian coach said. “You can see that he understands the game. He’s talented. What he’s missing is the team work.”
Dortmund, which shares a sponsor with Bolt, had long extended an invitation for him to train with the team at some stage. Bolt retired from track after the 2017 world championships.
Dortmund’s next game after the international break is at Bayern Munich on March 31. Bayern can secure the league title if other results go its way.
