Dominik Szoboszlai: I want to win in everything and everywhere!

– Tuxedo?
– I'm not a guy who wears a suit often, but I'm happy to wear one for special events. Most recently, I wore a tailored tuxedo to the EM Sports Christmas Gala, I wanted to set the tone for the evening. I think I succeeded, but more importantly, what we came together for was accomplished: on the one hand, we helped with the fundraising, and on the other hand, we had a great time.

– Charity?
– Since I was a little boy, I have loved supporting those in need. That's who I was as a child and who I am as an adult. I prefer giving to receiving: if I can help, why not?! And the more of us think like that, the more we can help. I don't buy a pair of jeans just to have another pair in my wardrobe, but I'd rather give that money to someone who needs it. Before Christmas, Ádám Szalai and I went to a children's home. I learned a lot from the kids then. I had a great time with them, and I got an insight into how they live their everyday lives. No matter what their circumstances, we saw happiness on the faces of many of the children. Unfortunately, their parents are not with them, but they are there for each other, and Ádám and I went there to bring them joy.

– Idol?
– If the question is who my idol is, the answer is obvious: Cristiano Ronaldo. Because of his mentality, attitude and his unstoppable will to win. What he has achieved is fantastic! When I was around eight years old, we escorted Portugal in the Hungary-Portugal match, I was a few meters away from him. So far, that is the closest I've ever come to meeting him, but I hope we'll meet again on the pitch. And are we role models? That's a question for the children, but I'd like them to look up to Hungarian footballers too.

– Talent?
– You get it when you're born, from then on, it's up to you whether you use it. If you don't put in the hard work, it's worth next to nothing. Personal experience tells me the same. I may have been talented, but I did a lot of work every day to make the most of my abilities. If you have a gifted child who doesn't train diligently and a less gifted child who gives it his all, I think the latter will do more.

– Diligence?
– It's closely related to talent: if you want to achieve anything, you have to work for it. Come rain or shine, you have to be there and do (or even more of) what your coach asks you to do. And you have to strive to be better than everyone else. Be positive, look after yourself - and believe in yourself!

– Főnix Gold?
– I started there with my father. If it weren't for Főnix, if it weren't for Dad's dedication, if it weren't for that good training, I'd hardly be here now. I can only say good things about Főnix, my dad and his team had a different approach and different ideas than other clubs, and it paid off: they not only raised national league players but also senior and junior national team players. When I'm at home, I like to go to the pitch, and it's so good to see that there are still talented youngsters out there.

– Salzburg?
– It was not easy... I moved out when I was fifteen. I was on my own, and I spoke neither German nor English at the time, which didn't make it any easier for me to fit in. But I managed it somehow! In hindsight, I loved that period, I loved the club, and I loved the city. I love going back to Salzburg to this day, it's good to see old friends. I was with the club for four years, starting in the junior team and working my way up to the senior team, with whom I won several league titles and the Austrian Cup. Mentally I developed a lot in Austria and what I learned there I took with me to Germany.

– Leipzig?
– The first six months here were not easy. In fact, since I was injured, I didn't play in the spring of 2021, and I also missed the European Championships, which hurt me terribly. I can now say that what I went through then has also made me stronger. Since then, I have had my ups and downs, but I have overcome them. Overall, I have had more good than bad in Leipzig in the last two years, but it hasn't come naturally, I have fought hard for it. I had a coach who didn't count on me, but I fought and did my best. With the arrival of my former coach from Salzburg, Marco Rose, things changed, I enjoy the trust he has in me - and I enjoy playing.

– National team?
– Wow! I love being on the national team! It's a great team, and so is the atmosphere. It may sound cliché, but it's still true: unity is our strength. There is no stress, we don't put pressure on ourselves, but rather we try to take the pressure off each other. And the results show that this is a good thing.

– Captaincy?
– All I can say again is wow! Being the captain of the Hungarian national team at the age of 22 is a huge honor - and just as much a responsibility. When I was twenty-one and the then-captain, the replaced Ádám Szalai, handed me the armband for the Nations League match against Germany last September, it was a wonderful moment. But when I turned 22 and led the national team out for the game against Luxembourg in November, it was a real thrill. It's fantastic to feel the confidence of the professional staff and my teammates! As I said, it's a big responsibility to be captain of the national team at such a young age, but I think I can meet the requirements and overcome this obstacle. Not least because Ádám Szalai and his predecessor Balázs Dzsudzsák also gave me some useful advice, but if it's okay, I wouldn't share with the public what they shared with me...

– Leading role?
– Expecting someone to be a leader assumes that they are capable of fulfilling that role. This requires the support of others, the unity mentioned earlier. Just because I am the captain of the national team doesn't mean that I decide anything on my own. That has always been the case and will continue to be the case. I think that's the way it should be. I would also like to show my respect for my older teammates, and if there is a question, I ask for their opinion, we discuss together what we should do. Everybody tells me what they think, that's how we find common ground. And that makes us a team.

– Responsibility?
– I handle it well. I like it when there's pressure on me, and I might add that I can take it. I think it's good for me. Recently, my manager, Mátyás Esterházy, who has helped me a lot in my career and knows me very well, said that I am the type of person who needs responsibility, because the more responsibility I am given, the more I feel I am counted on as a key person, the better I can perform. At this point, we can go back to trust, all the more so because Mátyás is absolutely right: if the coach believes in me, if I play continuously, I can bring more to the table.

– Friendship?
– There are teammates in the team, but obviously there are some people with whom I have a better-than-average relationship – we go out for dinner, maybe go on holiday or relax together. In Salzburg, I became close friends with Erling Haaland, who now plays for Manchester City, and Tyler Adams (who joined Leeds United last summer) and I had a strong bond in Leipzig, and of course, I've stayed on good terms with both of them. My best friends are in Hungary - there are not many of them, but I know I can always count on them, just like they can always count on me. Nowadays, when it's one match after another, it's not so easy to maintain these relationships, but we'll work around that.

– Popularity?
– I'm fine with that too. I've never said no to someone who wanted an autograph or a picture together. As a kid, I also asked a player for one, and if he would have refused, I'm sure I would’ve looked at him differently. We have to acknowledge that this is what our "profession" entails, we should be happy if someone wants to have a photo with us. I'm also present on various social platforms, some I handle myself, some I don't, but I always know where the line is.

– European Championship?
– It would be a dream come true if we qualified for the 2024 European Championship in Germany. As I said, it was a painful memory to miss the tournament two years ago due to injury, and it would have been fantastic to play against Portugal and France in the Puskás Aréna. I hope that what fate took away then will give back next time. If I think of Germany now being my second home, it would be great to play a European Championship group match there.

– World Cup?
– Another wish would be fulfilled if we qualified for the World Cup. Allowing more teams than ever before in the next tournament will give us a slightly better chance of qualifying, but we'd better keep our feet on the ground. Keeping our feet on the ground has worked so far, and we must keep in mind that we must continue to do everything we can to succeed. It should be added that it is very difficult to qualify for both the European Championship and the World Cup, but there is reason to be optimistic because we have been able to overcome difficult situations. I also hope that this will be no different in the European Championship qualifying series, which starts in March.