Not for the first time, and I’m sure not for the last, Hector Bellerin has given a hugely interesting, thought-provoking interview in which he reiterates once again that some footballers can do more than run a lot and kick a ball well.
Following his excellent sit-down with the Oxford Union earlier this year, he’s spoken to the official website about the importance of using his platform to try and make a difference when it comes to things like mental health and the environment.
He’s often been criticised for supposedly caring more about fashion than football, something he comprehensively puts to bed in the interview above, and in the latest piece he shows once more that he’s a smart, thoughtful young man when discussing topics that most players avoid.
Asked why he felt footballers tend to stay quiet on important day to day issues, he said, “I feel like the football industry is an industry where we have to be really quiet and play.
“I think the code around it is that footballers can’t really do anything else other than kick a ball.
“This is kind of the stereotype, so when there’s a footballer who’s stepping out of the box he’s always seen as someone that is not focused enough on football because he’s doing this, he’s doing that.
“As I always say, we have so much time and we’re humans so we have issues and worries. We should push these things.
“A lot of players have come out talking about mental health for example. This has always been something that has been very taboo to talk about, especially for men.
“After that, I know that Danny Rose had to talk about it. All these issues which, back in the day there was a stigma for men to talk about it or there was a stigma as a group of people, as footballer to talk about these things.
“It’s important that we take these chains off and start talking about it moving forward with an open mind.”
The full interview is well worth a read, you can check it out on arsenal.com here.
Really good article. I don’t understand why some fans can’t reconcile the idea that players could be dedicated to their main profession, football, and then spend the rest of the day or their time off doing things they also find meaningful. Really impressed by Bellerin’s general outlook on life, seems like an intelligent, sensible, well-spoken lad with a good head on his shoulders. Happy that he plays for Arsenal, and l9okijg forward to his upward curve over the next 12-24 months.
*looking* forward
I don’t think that’s the problem fans have. Usually, it is when a player has performed poorly that those extra-curricular activities are brought up. If you do very well in school, it wouldn’t matter to your parents if you spent the rest of your time playing FIFA or something like that.
No, some people really think the length of his hair has an effect on his performances.
Are you saying it doesn’t?
I actually have a mate who was crazy superstitious about his hair length. He got over it but it was crazy to me, a smart modern dude who thought the hair was holding him back.
We laugh about it now at least 😀
Haven’t you ever heard of a guy called Samson?
You can’t completely rule out a reverse case, anything is possible
And think what happened to Samson when he got his hair cut off! (Shudders..)
Kenny? Good point, well made.
Weren’t Puma responsible for those nipple busting skintight kits a couple of years back? Bellerin’s hair and Girouds beard clearly ruined the aerodynamics-nipple comfort trade-off.
It’s all about marginal gains people
Yes, but this is assuming that footballers, or any person for that matter doesn’t have the ability to compartmentalize. That would be a fair point, if there were reports that he didn’t apply himself in training, or cut corners, skipped gym work or didn’t have focus at London Colney. I believe he can achieve more, and become better, but I think anyone who manages time well could also care about the environment or fashion or really long hipster hair
But this type of criticism surely says more about the critic than the object of criticism. And it is a (perhaps minor) example of what can be the worst about human nature: in the face of disagreement, cast your “opponent” as the Other, and pathologize that difference. It’s not hard to read the subtext of a critique of a footballer for his attention to “fashion,” “hair length,” and so on.
You’re right, Shambles, that is what Triggers the comments. But the comments are daft. Ignorant juvenile playground taunts and bullying.
On a related note, the word bullying doesn’t cut it for me. Bullying is harassment.
I don’t think it’s just having “extra-curricular activities” that causes controversy. Every football player does other things–but if it’s playing golf, or driving an expensive car around, or playing video games, that’s not seen as “extra-curricular” at all, it’s just “normal.” But if he opens his mouth about something other than his Lamborghini, he is not paying enough attention to football.
Yeah but no real man gets involved in fasshunn tho, does he? He needs to run arahnd more, tackle harder and cut his hair. That’s what the club pays him for. Not to ponce around in expensive clothes.
Sarcasm font required once more 😉
It’s not easy.
Tell that to Graham Dougan
Wait. Are you saying that Graham Dougan is not meant to be taken seriously?
So much poncing
Don’t know if we have a facetious font
Too right! What happened to public brawling and drink driving? You know, real footballers!
Like what? Being a fashion model? The guy’s dress up makes as much sense as a man wearing a skirt.he got the hair for it though.focus on football son,you can do charity and preach peace and welfare when you are seventy.
Yeah, at seventy when he has no platform to do any of that.
?
Blogs, did you make his avatar a penis on purpose?
Ram = Troll
I like that Hector has a broad range of interests and ideas, and that he’s not afraid to articulate then publicly. So many athletes and celebrities choose to not take positions because of fear of putting people off their ‘brand image’ and we never really know who they are or what their passions are. If you have issue with bellerin being outspoken about things other than football, let me ask you this: would you like it if you were only ever ‘allowed’ to speak about your job, even when you weren’t at work? Exactly. You’re likely a well wounded person… Read more »
Yup, nothing worse than the corporate athlete. Michael Jordan, Michael Owen, other Michaels.
If they want to promote products associated with their names while they’re in the game, that’s their decision as well. I cannot fault a professional athlete, who has maybe ten years at the top level, from maximizing their earnings while they are active and their image is perhaps at its height, considering the weight of responsibility a lot of them have on their shoulders. This is not as prevalent with European athletes perhaps, but with those from other parts of the world, the only escape from poverty these guys have is through sport- and often their families are reliant on… Read more »
Micheal Scott ?
Good at the game of football, handsome and he can think!?! God I hate this guy!!!
Hehe, you’re probably onto the root of the problem there…
I mean, he’s improved slightly in recent games with Emery in charge. Not sure what the issue is with him doing his extra curricular activities. Part of the problem defensively (is NOT Mustafi) rather our fullbacks tend to get overloaded or left vulnerable. This particularly as we are : 1) Unbalanced as a team and dependent on them pushing forward for width. Players like Ramsey, Ozil to some extent Mhkitaryan (and even Auba) tend to pinch inwards leaving us narrow. We lack natural wideplayers and Iwobi is one of the few we have as option (if not only) This means… Read more »
bore.off
No disrespect, but I saw the text wall and dived into the first few paragraphs thinking it was the return of Rambling Pete. When it didn’t get funny, I scrolled up, checked the name and was thoroughly disappointed.
In other news, one of our wide options which we inexplicably let go on loan may feature today against City.
Hoffenhiem and Nelson up against Pep’s side.
Didn’t get on the pitch. He’s barely getting a game for Hoffenheim so far.
He looks right out of a Kurosawa movie in this one, haha
I laugh at the irony when I hear people say “He needs to shut up and focus on football… he’s a professional footballer.”
Unless of course the person saying it is a professional footballer critic. Then the irony I saw present when that person says anything not having to do with footballers.
Keep it going kid. After Giroud left, we are really short on the fashion front. Let them talk all they want. On the footballing front, Bellerin looks to have steadily improved under Unai. Iwobi sharing the right wing would be of a great help.
Rambling Pete could have a ball with this stuff. Where are you when we need you, Rambling Pete??
Sorry, but I’m burned out by sports stars – from the US side of things to be fair – telling us that they can platform this and that. Great, do it, just do it [sic]. All people in all vocations are different, better, and worse at different things. I’m simply not a fan of where this micro-fractured world is headed, I guess – an infinity-based mentality dodging the bounce-back of spears.
Didn’t understand a word of this. Is it some sort of American deep thinkings using wacky catchphrases or power words or some such thing?
Great to see a footballer with the wit to eschew the meathead stereotype. Class.
Bellerin has such a knack for winding up the Gammons he might as well be the European Union
I think one of the aspects that Wenger looked in players was intelligence, not just ‘football brain’. I’m not surprised that Bellerin is articulate and has wider interest.