Ádám Szalai: I always admit to my mistakes; that’s how I can look in the mirror

– Can we say that you've been through hell and heaven for the last year?
– It was certainly one of the most stressful seasons at club level, Ádám Szalai (33), who has been capped 74 times for Hungary and is a striker for Mainz (Germany), told our portal. – The last year really represents my career so far. Last fall, I was part of the European Championship qualifying team against Bulgaria and Iceland without seeing the pitch or the ball in the weeks leading up to the matches. I was preparing all by myself, but Marco Rossi trusted me, he relied on me as the national team's captain. Only the European Championship qualification was in front of my eyes. Then the world turned around, because while in the fall a piece of paper was put in front of me stating that I couldn't even visit the training ground, six months later we renewed the contract.

– What happened last fall?
– I don't want to go into the details, but the club communicated that there were problems with my performance on the pitch. Therefore, they didn't need me anymore. The coronavirus, on the other hand, has caused problems not only in the professional field but also in other areas. Then I stood up for the team, and later the players stood by me as well... I don't want to say anything more than that. Life proved that I did the right thing, and my attitude and perseverance gave me strength in the midst of the ordeal.

– Why couldn't you tell the facts then? Why couldn't you talk about your feelings?
– Because the team was close to relegation, and we were fighting to stay in. I didn't want to add to the trouble by making the media loud from the mudslinging between me and the club.

– What gave you strength in those months?
– I knew inside I didn't make a mistake. Throughout my career, I've been my own greatest critic, and I've always admitted to my mistakes because it's the only way I can look in the mirror. But in that case, I was protecting the team and my teammates, and inside I knew I was right. I could count on my family in difficult moments, and my fellow players stood by me publicly. Only a tough team can do that, and it mattered a lot.

– Wouldn't it have been easier to leave? To say that the coach doesn't like Hungarians, to tell the truth? Then you would've been the victim, and many teams would be waiting for you with open arms...
– It's not that simple. The most important thing was to play at the European Championship with the national team. Since we achieved that, I knew I could only help the national team if, at the age of 33, I was preparing at the highest level and trying to make the most of myself day by day. I wanted to be in a league that the national team could benefit from, and I'm not sure I would've found a club or country in the winter transfer window that meets my expectations. Because of that, I decided to stay and somehow fight my way back into the team.

– When did you feel the situation was changing in your favor?
– After a new sporting director and a new head coach were appointed at Mainz, they looked at me more positively. And like I said before, it mattered a lot that the others stood up for me. It may be strange what I'm saying, even though I've been kicked out of the first team, because of the reaction of my teammates, I felt like I wanted to be part of this group. I wanted to help them fight to stay in.

– Looking at the last ten years, many Hungarian attackers who are considered talented have not even come close to the four major European leagues. You, however, at the age of 33, fought your way back from an impossible situation into the first team of a Bundesliga club. Is career all about will?
– Other players' careers are none of my business, I can only speak for myself. Perhaps what helped me was that I had to deal with more difficulties in my career than most footballers. I've been in a situation many times where I wasn't the fastest, the most technical, the most skillful player, but my mentality and perseverance always helped. My attitude towards important matches, difficult situations, and that mental preparedness that has characterized me over the last decade have all contributed to me still being in the Bundesliga.

– Did the victories against Bulgaria and Iceland last fall already foreshadow a successful European Championship?
– Absolutely. Those two clashes' results were unforeseeable; the first was played away, and the confidence with which we played football in Sofia was not self-evident in the national team before. In the match against Iceland, we were disadvantaged by an unlucky goal. Then we controlled the game, we were better, and turned the game around in the final minutes. It wasn't the Portuguese, French or German teams, but the way we endured the pressure and played football gave us reason to be optimistic.

– Did you have to focus on football only in the spring?
– Fortunately, yes. I'm not saying I had the best spring season of my career. After being ignored, it was primarily mentally difficult for me to build myself up, but I felt like I was getting close to reaching the right level. With Mainz, we finally were able to stay in just two rounds before the end. We played the last two league matches without burden, which gave me another positive charge for the national team's training camp.

– Before that, however, you had scored in the World Cup qualifier against Poland. Did the emotions break out during that goal celebration?
– Presumably, yes. I was successful again after a long time, and although I was never the striker who kept saying that only goals matter, I was freed up a lot of energy by that goal. Obviously, the difficulties of the fall season were part of that, maybe that's when I realized how deep I was holding on.

– What was the biggest difference between the European Championship five years ago and the current European Championship?
– For me, it's that two games were hosted at home, and it took us some time to realize that this time it's not a friendly match or a European Cup qualifier. We were preparing in Telki because Budapest and the Puskás Aréna were European Championship venues. We had our pre-match training in the stadium before the match against Portugal, and then we were starting to wonder what was to come the next day.

– Did the team do its best, or do you think it missed something?
– That's also one big difference from what we had five years ago. When I think about our group, the attitude of the staff, the work invested, the team unity, the fight, the fan base that cheers us on, and the fact that we would've needed only six minutes to advance, everyone understands why I felt disappointed in Munich. I was just sitting in the dressing room after the final whistle, and I felt completely empty. We fought for each other the whole time, we only missed a few minutes, but we didn't make it. That feeling accompanied me later, during my rest as well. Whenever there was a football match on television, I switched channels. I'm glad we brought joy to a lot of people, and they were proud of us, but disappointment was the strongest feeling in me.

– When was it decided that you can play in Munich?
– I didn't feel 100% fit after my head injury. There were moments when there was little chance of me playing. Here, I would mention my family members again. Their support gave me a lot of strength. Thanks to them and God, I was able to get back on the pitch, and apart from the last six minutes, everything worked out great.

– What was your best European Championship moment?
– One was when I was taken to hospital after my substitution against France, and while I was among other patients waiting for my head injury to be examined, I saw them watching the match on television and cheering for the national team along with the doctors. The other memorable moment was in Munich. Although only a few thousand fans could accompany us when we ran out to warm up, we saw a real wall of black T-shirts with the inscription “Magyarország” (Hungary) behind the goal. We have the best fan base in the world, and I'm still getting goosebumps when I think about how we felt when we saw them at the Allianz Arena.

– You have been in the Bundesliga for more than ten years, scoring 53 goals. You've been a key player in the national team for about ten years. Five years ago, you scored an unforgettable goal against Austria, and you scored and assisted at the Allianz Arena. How unfairly do you feel after all this that at times, Marco Rossi still has to explain himself why he has trust in you?
– I've always received criticism in my career, probably because I deserved it on the field. However, as long as these opinions remain within the current framework, I have no problem with them. It means much more that Sándor Egervári, Pál Dárdai, Bernd Storck and Marco Rossi have always stood up for me. I can only silence critics with my game anyway, and not with myself getting angry at those opinions.

– For how long will we see you in the national team uniform?
– I don't want to link it to age or event. I stayed in the Bundesliga to train at the highest level because it's the best way to help the national team. At the current European Championship, players older than me have performed outstandingly. If I get opportunities regularly in the future and keep the current level, I can help the national team for a long time.

– What are Hungary's odds in the World Cup qualifiers?
– We're in a difficult situation because we tied with Poland and unfortunately, we lost very important two points. The next opponent will be England. Everyone at the European Championship could see what skilled players they are made up of, so it won't be an easy task either. At the same time, if the current team spirit persists, if we continue to be characterized by such a work ethic, and if we provide bolder and more creative football in attack, we can sing the national anthem with the Hungarian fans even after several games.

Translated by Vanda Orosz