Premier League title to World Cup dreams: Dominik Szoboszlai is relentless
Dominik Szoboszlai was a clear talent from an early age
© Shamil Tanna/Red Bull Content Pool
Dominik Szoboszlai’s trophy cabinet
The number one Hungarian footballer
© Shamil Tanna/Red Bull Content Pool
- 2017-18 – Austrian Bundesliga
- 2018-19 – Austrian Bundesliga, Austrian Cup
- 2019-20 – Austrian Bundesliga, Austrian Cup
- 2020-21 – Austrian Bundesliga, Austrian Cup
- 2021-22 – DFB-Pokal
- 2022-23 – DFB-Pokal
- 2023-24 – EFL Cup
- 2024-25 – English Premier League
Congratulations on becoming Hungary’s first Premier League champion, has it sunk in yet?
It’s a very proud moment. As a little child, you always dream about achieving these trophies. It was a long journey up until now and I’m still not close to the end hopefully. My family are proud of me and without them, I wouldn’t be here. I’m proud of them as well – that they kept on going with me and now we will keep on going together.
You’ve won a trophy in every single season as a professional! Where are you storing them all?
My dad has all the medals I’ve won. Some trophies as well, not the original ones, but I made replicas to keep for us. That’s what I’m going to do with the Premier League as well. He has all of them, but I’m thinking of getting everything made again and keeping them for myself to build a trophy room.
To be as good as Dominik Szoboszlai comes with great sacrifice
© Shamil Tanna/Red Bull Content Pool
Your professional journey started at FC Liefering, can you explain how this happened?
A scout came to watch a U16 national team game against Switzerland. They told me to go to Salzburg for 2-3 days to see if I could play with the team they had. They then called me to say they would like to sign me when I became 16, as before 16, you cannot move outside of your country. As soon as I turned 16, I moved to FC Liefering and played half a year there before moving to the first team.
That must have felt like a big step, coming from Hungary while still just a teenager, not speaking German and being away from family. How did this shape you?
This is one of the most difficult parts of becoming a footballer. Leaving your family and being around people you don’t know, speaking another language. You have to learn to speak German or English and get to know the team. You have to play twice as well as your team-mates, as if you play at the same level, they will choose them and not you. It’s a huge step.
Did it feel at the time that you were part of a special group? Playing alongside the likes of Erling Haaland, Takumi Minamino, and Karim Adeyemi?
We had a good team! It was the first time in Red Bull Salzburg’s history that we made the Champions League. It was a good sign that everyone was doing a really good job. You can just look at the players from that team and see where they are playing now – it was a nice journey.
Erling Haaland and Dominik Szoboszlai share history at FC Red Bull Salzburg
© Markus Berger/Red Bull Content Pool
Erling is one of your good friends in football. Do you ever think how crazy it is that you’ve both ended up at two rival Premier League clubs, competing for major trophies?
We’re still in contact now. We’re both going for the Premier League title every year, so we see each other sometimes. We talk, but we like to talk not about football. Every day for us is about football, so when we talk, we talk about something else.
What are the fundamental characteristics of playing for teams like FC Liefering, Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig?
You need to learn the style and understand how it feels. If you do this, you are one of them. That’s what I think people understand about the players who play for these clubs. You have to run and press otherwise you can have as much quality as you want, you won’t be fully taken in. I learned everything I could and can still use this knowledge now.
Dominik Szoboszlai in action for Red Bull Salzburg
© GEPA pictures/Red Bull Content Pool
The intense pressing isn’t easy to learn though, is it much more complex than it looks?
It’s not easy, but that’s what you learn in the Red Bull system. You learn when and how to make your run. The most crucial part, though, is that you can’t miss your sprint – ever, otherwise it won’t work. You have to commit to and make the sprint every single time.
How do you maintain the energy to press so aggressively and be the engine room for the team over a full season?
It’s just in me. That’s me. I don’t know how. I’m not training to do it. It’s just in me. It’s also a mental thing. When I talk to myself before the game, it comes to my mind, “OK, you have to go again and again.” This is what I’ve worked my whole life for, and this is what helps make me special. The other attributes come naturally.
Szoboszlai: "Intense pressing is what you learn at the Red Bull system"
© GEPA pictures/Red Bull Content Pool
Jürgen Klopp brought you to England, how important was he in making you feel like it was a good move to make?
It was an easy choice. If a big club and manager like Jürgen comes, you don’t even really need to think. It was a quick decision – we had to decide everything in three days – and he called me on FaceTime. We talked, and of course, I was nervous. I wasn’t sure how to act, but then I remembered that he’s also human. We talked nicely in German, which made it easier, and it happened quickly after this.
You’ve been playing for Hungary since age 18 and are now the national team captain. How important is this role for you?
I’m very proud to captain my nation and be there for anyone I can help. Hungary has been in the European Championships three times in a row, and now the next step is to qualify for the World Cup. It’s my biggest dream to take this country to the World Cup. I’m going to do anything for this.