Borussia Dortmund Ivorian striker Sebastien Haller is suffering from testicular cancer, the club announced on Monday, adding that he had left training camp for treatment. “A tumor in the testicles was discovered” after “intensive medical examinations”, wrote the BVB on its site, explaining that the 28-year-old striker “complained of feeling unwell after training on Monday morning” in Switzerland, in Bad Ragaz, where the vice-champion of Germany is preparing for the new season.
The player, transferred this summer from Ajax Amsterdam to replace Erling Haaland, who left for Manchester City, has returned to Dortmund, the club said, adding that “further examinations will take place in a specialized medical center”.
Respect for privacy
“Today’s news was a shock for Sébastien Haller and for all of us,” said BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl. The whole BVB family wishes Sébastien a full recovery as soon as possible and that we can hug him again soon. We will do everything in our power to ensure that he receives the best possible treatment. Borussia Dortmund “requests that the privacy of the player and his family be respected and that no questions be asked” and promises to communicate “in consultation with the player […] as soon as we have more information”.
Before the Ivorian international, other footballers had testicular cancer. The goalkeeper of the great French team of the 1980s, Joël Bats, had recovered, like the former Atlético Madrid and La Coruña goalkeeper, José Francisco Molina, in the early 2000s, also treated and became a coach afterwards. Carlos Roa, Jonas Gutierrez, Craig Moore or the Dutchman Arjen Robben, at the very beginning of his career, had suffered from this disease.