The acquisition of Bence Dardai aligns perfectly with VfL Wolfsburg’s philosophy of signing talented, hungry youngsters for their first-team squad so they can develop them and turn them into even better players. Eighteen-year-old Berlin native Dardai, who along with David Odogu was part of the Germany squad that won the European Under-17 Championship last year, wants to take those next steps with the Wolves. In this interview, Dardai also talks about his strengths and weaknesses and looks ahead to the coming campaign.
You come from a very special family who clearly love their ball sports: Your grandfather was a footballer, your mum was a Hungarian handball international and until recently, your dad [Pal, former Hertha BSC head coach] had three of his sons – Palko (25), Marton (22) and you – in his first-team squad. Who does your dad think is most talented? Or is he staying diplomatic on the matter?
Bence (laughing): “Well, I hope he thinks I’m the most talented! I actually believe he thinks we’re all talented and he’s also very proud that all three of his sons play football.”
How hard was it to break up that family group and leave Berlin?
Bence: “I found it pretty difficult. I played there for many years, but it was time to set out on a different path. I’ve done that now with VfL. The first few days and weeks have been great and I’m feeling really settled.”
You’re reported to have received several offers from well-known German and foreign clubs. What made you choose the Wolves?
Bence: “I had a lot of good talks and quickly gained a very good impression of the club and its infrastructure, which all point to a bright future in the coming years. It quickly became clear that Wolfsburg was a great option. The proximity to my family was also a factor. It only takes 50 minutes or so to get to Berlin on the train, which is brilliant.”