5 Little Nuggets About Jerome Boateng That Every Fan Must Know

He may be famed for collecting titles on a conveyor belt with Bayern Munich and Germany, but there is much more to Jerome Boateng than what you see on the pitch. Here are 10 little-known interesting pieces of information about the 2014 FIFA World Cup winner.

1. Aygenim Boateng?

Yup, that’s right. You’ve been watching Boateng play all these years without realising he has an unusual middle name – one he even has tattooed (more on this below) all the way up his right forearm. Boateng’s father, Prince, is from Ghana so he gave him the moniker in a nod to those African roots. Meaning ‘The Great One’ in local dialect Ashanti-Twi, there can be little doubt the centre-back has certainly lived up to his billing.

2. Tottenham? No thanks!

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new week kick-off 🙌🏽

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Born and raised in Berlin, Boateng initially cut his teeth in the game in the Tennis Borussia Berlin youth sides, before being snapped up by the city’s biggest club, Hertha, at the age of 14 in 2002. He progressed rapidly and made his Bundesliga debut five years later in the second half of the 2006/07 campaign.

His powerful physique and assured performances caught the eye of several clubs across the continent later that year – even drawing an offer from Tottenham Hotspur, who signed his brother Kevin-Prince that summer – but Jerome turned them down in favour of a move to Hamburg. Three years and 75 appearances later, a transfer to England did materialise with Manchester City, but after a frustrating season there he quickly jumped at the chance to sign for Bayern in summer 2011.

3. Practice makes perfect

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Back in Munich 🙌🏽

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Watching elite players effortlessly ping the ball around, it is easy to forget that countless hours of practice over numerous years have got them to that level. And although Boateng is a naturally gifted player, he readily admits that his left foot needed a lot of extra work.

“Both of my older brothers could shoot better than me,” he told the Berliner Zeitung. “My other brother was also a really good player. So I started training with my friends and always only played and took shots with my left foot. After that I was better with my left than my brothers.”

4. Gotta have faith

As a young boy, Boateng not only had belief in his own ability as a footballer, but also in a higher power. Bible stories made a lasting impression on him and to this day he retains his spirituality. “I really like sitting all by myself in church,” he told Sportbild. “The peace and tranquillity allow me to look inside myself and to think about things.”

Boateng prays before every match, “but not any specific Psalms; I use my own words. I believe in God and know that everyone makes mistakes. That’s why I believe he’s the only one who can judge us.” Amen to that.

5. Tattoo fiend

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The aforementioned ink on Boateng’s arm is only one of a number of tattoos decorating his body, and he now has several other designs on his neck, back and shoulders. “It started when I was 16 or 17,” said Boateng, who is father to twin girls Soley and Lamia. “I was with my two older brothers. They said ‘let’s all go and get the same tattoo, but we won’t tell your mum’. So we all got a tattoo of the continent of Africa with the word ‘Ghana’ written inside.”

Boateng’s mother may not have authorised that particular outing but she nevertheless remains an important figure in his life, and cooked Jerome his favourite dish upon his return to Germany after winning the 2014 World Cup. “I went from the Brandenburger Tor back home and she cooked for me, like she did when I was a kid,” he told Audi Star Talk. “Fish fingers and mashed potatoes. It’s still my favourite meal!”

 

 

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