Advertisement

EXCLUSIVE - Usain Bolt on his plans to become a Premier League star

Kevin Palmer
The former Jamaican world-record holder hopes his March trial with Borussia Dortmund will help propel his soccer career.
The former Jamaican world-record holder hopes his March trial with Borussia Dortmund will help propel his soccer career.

Usain Bolt has set his sights high as he looks to realise his dream of becoming a professional footballer at the age of 31.

The legendary eight-time Olympic gold medal winning sprinter walked away from his record breaking track and field career when he limped out of the London World Championships in August and now he has opened up to Yahoo Sports on his dream to make it big in a second sporting pursuit.

Bolt’s management team were inundated with offers for the Jamaican sporting icon to train with professional football clubs following after his retirement from athletics, with his upcoming trail at Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund a make or break moment in a story that will be fascinating to follow ion 2018.

READ MORE: Real Madrid tabled £177m Coutinho bid in a attempt to hijack Barcelona move

READ MORE: Bolt to have Dortmund trial in bid to earn Manchester United move

“One of my dreams was always to try and play football and I have a trial coming up with Borrusia Dortmund in March that will tell me whether it is possible,” Bolt told Yahoo at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in the Bahamas.

“I get a chance to trail with a top team, see how I shape up and that will determine what happens with the next step in my career. I will see where my skills are at, whether this big dream I have always had makes any sense.

“I am nervous about this trial. I don’t normally get nervous, but I wonder whether I can make it. This is football now and I don’t know whether I can do it.

“It will take time to adjust but once I play a few times I’ll get used to it. I was like this when i started track and field. Everyone needs time to get used to things. Getting used to the crowd, people and everyone around and it falls into place.

“In my eyes at this moment, I believe I could play competitive football for four or five years at a good level, but let’s see whether my skills are at the level they need to be to play at the top.”

Bolt admits he will consider the option of starting his football career with a lower league club, with his highly ambition dream of playing for his beloved Manchester United still on his radar.


“If I was promised I would get a chance to play games, I would go in at a lower level and try to work up to the Premier League level quickly,” he added. “I know it is going to be tough for me to do this, I want to give it everything I have got.

“I have said before that one of my big dreams is to sign for Manchester United. I have spoken to Alex Ferguson about this, but we have to wait and see what happens now. If Dortmund say I’m good enough, I’ll crack on and train hard.”

We will have more from our exclusive interview with Usain Bolt on Yahoo Sport in the coming days.

Usain Bolt spoke to Yahoo Sports at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in the Bahamas from January 6th-14th. Follow all the drama from one of the biggest Poker events of 2018 here.