Jadon Sancho is set to play in a UEFA Champions League final back with his former club Borussia Dortmund, where he is on loan from Manchester United until the end of the season. The winger told TNT Sports of his friendship with Real Madrid players Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior and why young players thrive at Dortmund. Watch the Champions League final live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho credits cage football for his rise to the top as he prepares for a maiden UEFA Champions League final on Saturday.
In an exclusive interview with TNT Sports ahead of his side’s clash with Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium, the 24-year-old winger admitted it was “surreal” to have the chance to play for the biggest prize in European football.
Sancho moved back to his old club on loan after falling out with Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag and, after a relatively slow start, has once again become integral to the team.
He was superb in the semi-final win over Paris Saint-Germain, showcasing skills that were first honed in a cage in south London.
“I grew up with cage football and it’s always been with me,” he told TNT Sports expert Owen Hargreaves ahead of the showdown, which is live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
“Every time I go on the pitch, I always try and do the skills I do in the cage. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But if you don’t try, it doesn’t work.”
Sancho will play against his former Dortmund colleague Jude Bellingham and Real’s Brazilian star Vinicius Junior on Saturday, and he revealed that he exchanged text messages with the pair in the aftermath of Real’s win against Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.
“It’s going to be a great game. Madrid, their history speaks for itself, they’ve got a lot of great players. I’ve got a few friends over there, Vini and Jude,” he continued.
“I actually messaged them after they won against Bayern Munich. I said, ‘I’ll see you there.’ It’s going to be a tense game, for sure. I can’t wait.”
Sancho joined United in a blockbuster £73 million deal in 2021 but only showed flashes of his best form before a spat with Ten Hag saw him forced to train away from the first team.
However, he always retained the belief that he would return to football’s biggest stage and praised Dortmund’s culture for helping him flourish again.
“It’s a big family, everyone respects each other, everyone helps each other. Especially for me, a young player, you need this foundation and especially the fans,” he said.
“The fans always support me through good and bad times, and that is what keeps me – and young players – motivated to do their best.”
He added: “I always knew one day I would play in a game like this.
“For it to be London, and for me to be only 24, to get my first experience in a Champions League final is actually surreal. It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but when we travel to London the occasion will start to hit me.”
picture
‘It is quite incredible’ – Owen on how Real Madrid ‘just find a way’ in Europe.