Sebastien Haller, a striker for Borussia Dortmund, is back on the practice field three months after undergoing surgery to treat a testicular tumor.
Haller has been sidelined since July when Dortmund announced that he will require chemotherapy weeks after leaving Ajax for €31 million.
Alfred Schreuder, the manager of Ajax, stated on Monday that Haller had requested to practice with his old team and was continuing his recovery with the Eredivisie team.
“He asked us if he could come and train because he was rehabilitating here,” Schreuder said.
“Then it’s of course wonderful that he can be there for a while. He was able to train on a different pitch to help with his recovery.”
Haller joined Ajax from West Ham United last year and scored 47 goals in 66 appearances for them. He also had a successful 2021–22 Champions League season, scoring 11 goals in eight games.
In addition, he has played 15 times for Ivory Coast. He also played for France at the youth level.
Sebastien Haller
Sébastien Romain Teddy Haller, a striker for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the Ivory Coast national team, was born on June 22, 1994.
Haller started his professional career at Auxerre in France. In 2015, he moved on loan to Dutch Eredivisie team Utrecht before making a permanent commitment.
He transferred to the German team Eintracht Frankfurt two years later, where he won the DFB-Pokal in 2018.
A year later, West Ham United of the English Premier League acquired him for a club-record fee of €49.8 million (£45 million). After signing with Ajax in 2021 for a club-record sum of €22.5 million (£18.8 million), Haller made his way back to the Netherlands.
He captured the Eredivisie and the KNVB Cup in his first half of the season. During the 2021–22 season, he became the first player to score in seven straight UEFA Champions League games.
He later moved to Borussia Dortmund for an initial €31 million.
Haller, who was born in France and has an Ivorian mother and French father, first represented France at the youth level before 2020, when he decided to support the Ivory Coast.
He played for his country at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and scored his first goal against Madagascar.
What Happened To Sebastien Haller?
Given that Haller’s diagnosis occurred just three months ago, his recovery is astounding. After a standout 2021–2022 season in which he scored 34 goals for Ajax, the 28-year-old left Amsterdam and signed with Borussia Dortmund in July for a cost of £31 million.
Shortly after signing for Dortmund in July following a 34-goal season with Ajax, Haller received the diagnosis with Testicular Tumor.
He sought testing after feeling ill during BVB’s preseason tour to Switzerland, and the results revealed a cancerous tumor.
After undergoing chemotherapy, the 28-year-old is now speeding up his rehabilitation by working out with his previous team.
What’s next for Haller?
Haller may be able to rejoin the team during the second half of the season, according to Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke, who also emphasized that the Ivorian will be given all the time necessary to recuperate fully.
Haller was only at Ajax for 18 months before transferring to Dortmund in July. However, the Frenchman only played 66 games for the Amsterdam club before scoring 47 goals.
Before he moved to Germany, his excellent performance helped Ajax win back-to-back Eredivisie titles. It can be challenging to pinpoint a precise date for Haller’s return to competitive play right now.
However, it can happen sooner rather than later if extra surgery is not required after chemotherapy.
