Usain Bolt has explained his decision to pursue a football career in Australia, where he went on trial with the Central Coast Mariners. The famous sprinter gained international fame in 2008 by setting a world record in the 100-meter sprint at the Beijing Olympics.
However, his attempt to transition into football did not go as planned after he retired from athletics. Usain Bolt notably had the chance to train with Borussia Dortmund, as he disclosed on The Obi One Podcast (via SPORTbible).
“For me, it started as just a training opportunity because Puma sponsored Dortmund. They said, ‘Come for a few days, hang out, train with the team, and see what might happen.’ It was a lot of fun.”
However, Usain Bolt chose to leave Europe entirely and joined Central Coast Mariners in Australia. He admitted, “I think that was a mistake. The media was all over me, so I thought moving to Australia might help me avoid that scrutiny. I knew if I stayed in Europe, the media would be constantly focused on me.”
Bolt shared that the relative freedom from media attention influenced his decision to move to Australia: “Some friends suggested that the Australian league would be a good place to learn and develop without much media pressure. I thought it was a good idea, as few people would travel that far to watch us.”
Despite his hopes, Bolt did not play a competitive match for Central Coast Mariners, though he did score twice during the trials. Reflecting on his experience with the Australian club, Bolt noted on The Obi One Podcast: “Training was going well, but adapting to football training was challenging. It was different from my usual running routines. I had to ask my coach for a program to get fit.”
Bolt also mentioned the goals he scored during the trials and his determination: “I scored two goals and was confident that with a bit more time, I’d be ready. I had a plan and was working hard with the assistant coach.”
Since then, Bolt has retired from football and is now too old to pursue a career in the sport.
