Sébastien Haller Explained

Sébastien Haller
Birth Date:22 June 1994[1]
Birth Place:Ris-Orangis, France
Height:1.90 m[2]
Position:Striker
Currentclub:Borussia Dortmund
Clubnumber:9
Youthyears1:2003–2005
Youthclubs1:FCO Vigneux
Youthyears2:2005–2007
Youthclubs2:Brétigny Foot
Youthyears3:2007–2010
Youthclubs3:Auxerre
Years1:2010–2014
Clubs1:Auxerre II
Caps1:57
Goals1:29
Years2:2012–2015
Clubs2:Auxerre
Caps2:50
Goals2:6
Years3:2015
Clubs3:Utrecht (loan)
Caps3:17
Goals3:11
Years4:2015–2017
Clubs4:Utrecht
Caps4:65
Goals4:30
Years5:2017–2019
Clubs5:Eintracht Frankfurt
Caps5:60
Goals5:24
Years6:2019–2021
Clubs6:West Ham United
Caps6:48
Goals6:10
Years7:2021–2022
Clubs7:Ajax
Caps7:50
Goals7:32
Years8:2022–
Clubs8:Borussia Dortmund
Caps8:33
Goals8:9
Totalcaps:447
Totalgoals:193 -->
Nationalyears1:2010
Nationalteam1:France U16
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2011
Nationalteam2:France U17
Nationalcaps2:12
Nationalgoals2:6
Nationalyears3:2011–2012
Nationalteam3:France U18
Nationalcaps3:4
Nationalgoals3:1
Nationalyears4:2012–2013
Nationalteam4:France U19
Nationalcaps4:7
Nationalgoals4:3
Nationalyears5:2013–2014
Nationalteam5:France U20
Nationalcaps5:7
Nationalgoals5:2
Nationalyears6:2013–2016
Nationalteam6:France U21
Nationalcaps6:20
Nationalgoals6:13
Nationalyears7:2020–
Nationalteam7:Ivory Coast
Nationalcaps7:27
Nationalgoals7:10
Club-Update:17:44, 13 April 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:14:30, 9 June 2024 (UTC)

Sébastien Romain Teddy Haller (in French pronounced as /alɛʁ/; born 22 June 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund. Born in France, he plays for the Ivory Coast national team.

Haller began his career in France with Auxerre, and moved on loan to Dutch Eredivisie side Utrecht in 2015, before signing on a permanent basis. Two years later, he moved to the German club Eintracht Frankfurt, winning the DFB-Pokal in 2018. English Premier League side West Ham United signed him a year later for a club-record transfer worth €49.8 million (£45 million). Haller returned to the Netherlands in 2021, signing with Ajax, for a club record fee of €22.5 million (£18.8 million). In his first six months, he won the Eredivisie and the KNVB Cup. He became the first player to score across seven consecutive UEFA Champions League matches during the 2021–22 season, and then transferred to Borussia Dortmund for an initial €31 million.

Haller represented France at youth level, before switching his allegiance in 2020 to the Ivory Coast. He scored on his international debut against Madagascar, and represented the national team at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2021 and 2023, scoring the winning goal in the final of the latter tournament.

Early life

Haller was born in Ris-Orangis, Essonne[3] to a French father and an Ivorian mother.[4] [5]

Club career

Auxerre

During the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup, on 26 June 2011, Haller signed his first professional contract with Auxerre, agreeing to a three-year deal.[6]

Ahead of the 2012–13 season, Haller was promoted to the senior team by manager Jean-Guy Wallemme. His professional debut came on 27 July 2012, in the team's opening league match of the 2012–13 campaign against Nîmes.[7]

Utrecht

On 24 December 2014, it was announced that Haller was sent on loan to Dutch Eredivisie club Utrecht until the end of the season.[8] At the end of the season, it was announced that FC Utrecht had signed Haller.[9] The supporters voted for Haller as the winner of the Di Tommaso Trophy 2015, Utrecht's player of the year award.[10]

Eintracht Frankfurt

On 15 May 2017, Haller signed with Eintracht Frankfurt on a four-year deal for a reported fee of €7 million.[11] In the 2017–18 DFB-Pokal, he scored four goals for Frankfurt, as the club won the final, marking the first trophy of Haller's career. In the 2018–19 Bundesliga season, he scored 15 league goals in 29 appearances as the club finished seventh.[12] In addition to his goals scored, he also made nine assists, meaning he was involved in 24 goals, a figure only beaten in the 2018–19 season by Robert Lewandowski with 29.[13]

West Ham United

On 17 July 2019, Haller signed with West Ham United on a five-year deal for a club record fee, that could rise to £45 million.[14] [15] He made his debut on 10 August, playing the full 90 minutes of a 5–0 Premier League loss against reigning champions Manchester City.[16] Two weeks later, he scored his first goals in a 3–1 away win against Watford in which the latter was an acrobatic bicycle kick.[17] Haller struggled at West Ham, attributing it to David Moyes replacing Manuel Pellegrini as manager and then preferring Michail Antonio up front, as well as the ill health of his wife and newborn son.[18]

In July 2020, Frankfurt reported West Ham to FIFA after they had failed to pay an instalment in May 2020 of £5.4 million as part of the £45 million transfer. West Ham claimed that they had withheld the payment, following a contractual dispute between the two clubs.[19] On 16 December, Haller scored an overhead kick in a 1–1 draw against Crystal Palace that was voted as the Premier League Goal of the Month.[20]

Ajax

On 8 January 2021, Haller signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Dutch club Ajax for a club record fee of €22.5 million (£18.8 million), reuniting with his former Utrecht manager Erik ten Hag.[21] [22] He made his debut two days later as a second-half substitute against De Topper rivals PSV, assisting Antony for the equaliser in a 2–2 draw.[23] On 14 January, he scored his first goal, and provided an assist, in a 3–1 away win over Twente.[24] On 3 February, Haller was mistakenly omitted from the club's list for the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League and therefore would be unable to play for the club in the competition.[25]

In a 5–1 away victory over Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League on 15 September 2021, Haller scored twice in each half to become the first player to score four on his Champions League debut since Marco van Basten for A.C. Milan in 1992; the Dutchman had however already played in the competition under its former name of the European Cup.[26] In the following fixture 13 days later, he recorded a goal against Beşiktaş, becoming the first player in the history of the competition to score five goals in his first two matches appearances;[27] against the same team on 24 November, Haller scored twice in a 2–1 win to become the first player to score nine goals in five consecutive matches of the competition.[28] On 7 December, Haller scored in his team's Champions League group stage match, becoming only the second player to register in all six group games after Cristiano Ronaldo in 2017–18 and became the fastest player to 10 goals in competition history.[29] He also joined Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski as the only players to score in the double-digits for goals in the group stage.[30] On 23 February 2022, he made amends for an earlier own goal, and helped Ajax to a 2–2 away draw against Benfica in the last, becoming the first player to score in seven consecutive matches in the competition;[31] his side lost 3–2 aggregate. With 21 league goals in 31 games, he finished the season as Eredivisie top scorer.[32]

Borussia Dortmund

On 6 July 2022, Haller signed a contract with Borussia Dortmund until 30 June 2026.[33] The transfer fee paid was 31 million, which could be increased to as much as €34.5 million after undisclosed bonuses.[34] However, on 18 July, the forward withdrew from the club's pre-season training camp in Switzerland, after he was diagnosed with a malignant testicular tumour.[35] [36] He then underwent two surgeries and four cycles of chemotherapy in order to control the spread of the disease.[37] [38]

After successfully completing his treatments, in January 2023 Haller was officially allowed to return to full-time training, as he joined the rest of Dortmund's team at their winter camp in Marbella.[39] On 10 January, he played his first match in almost eight months, featuring in the final minutes of a friendly against Fortuna Düsseldorf.[40] Three days later, he scored a hat-trick within eight minutes in a 6–0 victory in another friendly against Basel.[41] On 22 January, Haller came on as a second half substitute in a 4–3 home win against Augsburg, finally making his competitive debut for Dortmund after a 6-month battle with cancer.[42] On 4 February, he scored his first professional goal for the club in a 5–1 win against Freiburg.[43] Haller missed a crucial penalty, when his team was trailing 1–0, during the final game of the 2022–23 Bundesliga season which ended in a 2–2 draw with Mainz. Borussia Dortmund subsequently suffered final-day heartbreak as they missed out on a first Bundesliga title for 11 years on goal difference.[44] In 2023–24, he sustained an ankle injury which sidelined him for most of the season, in which he only scored three goals including two against TSV Schott Mainz in the DFB-Pokal and one against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final.[45]

International career

Youth

Haller was a France youth international, having represented his country of birth at every youth level and totalling 51 caps and 27 goals. He played with the under-17 team at the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico,[46] scoring in a 3–0 win over Argentina in the opening group game.[47]

On 14 November 2013, Haller made his under-21 debut, coming on for Anthony Martial in the 57th minute against Armenia in a European qualifier in Toulouse and scoring to conclude a 6–0 win.[48] He scored a hat-trick on 25 March 2015 in a friendly win of the same score against Estonia,[49] and he did the same on 10 November 2016 in a 5–1 win over the Ivory Coast at the Stade Pierre Brisson.[50]

Senior

In November 2020, Haller was called up to the Ivory Coast national team.[51] He debuted in a 2–1 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification win over Madagascar on 12 November, scoring his side's game-winning goal in the 55th minute.[52] He was called up for the finals in Cameroon, where he scored in a 2–2 group stage draw with Sierra Leone;[53] in the last 16 against Egypt, he was substituted at half time in extra time for Maxwel Cornet as the side lost on penalties.[54]

In December 2023, he was named in the Ivorian squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations hosted in his home nation.[55] In the semi-final match against DR Congo, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory, which qualified his country to the final.[56] He later scored the winning goal in the final match against Nigeria which ended in a 2–1 victory.[57]

Personal life

In 2022 Haller was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which he overcame, returning to professional football in January 2023.[58]

Career statistics

Club

[59]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Auxerre II2010–11CFA2121
2011–1222122212
2012–13194194
2013–14CFA 28585
2014–156767
Total57295729
Auxerre2012–13Ligue 21720010182
2013–142541022286
2014–15800030110
Total5061062578
Utrecht (loan)2014–15Eredivisie17111711
Utrecht2015–16331755424224
2016–17321331423916
Total824186849851
Eintracht Frankfurt2017–18Bundesliga319543613
2018–19291510105104120
Total602464105107733
West Ham United2019–20Premier League3272010357
2020–2116334197
Total481020445414
Ajax2020–21Eredivisie1911422313
2021–22312132811104334
Total503274811106647
Borussia Dortmund2022–23Bundesliga1991020229
2023–241401241193
Total33922614112
Career total38015126161062417104450194

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
Ivory Coast202021
202162
202271
202364
202452
Total2610

Ivory Coast score listed first, score column indicates score after each Haller goal.

List of international goals scored by Sébastien Haller
scope=colNo.scope=colDatescope=colVenuescope=colCapscope=colOpponentscope=colScorescope=colResultscope=colCompetitionscope=col class=unsortable
112 November 2020Stade National de la Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Ivory Coast12–02–12021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification[60]
26 September 2021Stade National de la Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Ivory Coastalign=center rowspan=261–0align=center rowspan=22–12022 FIFA World Cup qualificationalign=center rowspan=2[61]
32–0
416 January 2022Japoma Stadium, Douala, Cameroon101–02–22021 Africa Cup of Nations[62]
524 March 2023Stade Bouaké, Bouaké, Ivory Coast162–03–12023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification[63]
614 October 2023Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast191–01–12023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
717 October 2023Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast201–11–12023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
817 November 2023Stade National de la Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Ivory Coast211–09–02026 FIFA World Cup qualification
97 February 2024Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast241–01–02023 Africa Cup of Nations
1011 February 2024Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast252–12–12023 Africa Cup of Nations final

Honours

Eintracht Frankfurt

2017–18[64]

Ajax

2020–21, 2021–22[65]

2020–21[66]

Ivory Coast

2023[67]

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sébastien Haller: Overview . ESPN . 22 November 2020.
  2. Web site: Sébastien Haller: Overview . Premier League . 24 August 2019.
  3. News: Sébastien Haller . L'Équipe . Paris . 22 November 2020 . fr.
  4. News: Billebault. Alexis. Afrique Football Club : Sébastien Haller confirme, Sadio Mané inscrit un bijou. 7 March 2017. Le Monde Afrique. 15 August 2016. fr.
  5. News: Duchâteu. Romain. "Faut pas se mentir : marquer autant flatte aussie un peu ton ego ! »". 7 March 2017. So Foot. 27 December 2015. fr.
  6. News: Sébastien Haller: "Gagner un titre avec la sélection U17 serait merveilleux" . FootMercato . 26 June 2011 . 27 July 2012 . fr.
  7. News: Auxerre v. Nîmes Match Report . . 27 July 2012 . 27 July 2012 . fr.
  8. http://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/nieuws/414282/fc-utrecht-slaat-slag-een-jeugdinternational-nota-bene-van-een-groot-voetballand-.html FC Utrecht slaat slag: "Een jeugdinternational nota bene van een groot voetballand"
  9. Web site: FC Utrecht licht optie Haller. telegraaf.nl. De Telegraaf. 13 May 2015. nl. 30 April 2015.
  10. Web site: Sebastien Haller wint de David di Tommaso trofee. fcutrecht.net. FC Utrecht. 13 May 2015. nl.
  11. News: Sébastian Haller erster Eintracht-Neuzugang. 15 May 2017. Frankfurter Neue Presse. 15 May 2017. de.
  12. News: West Ham complete club-record £40m Haller signing. Goal. 17 June 2019. 17 June 2019.
  13. Web site: Sebastien Haller: West Ham sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker for club record £45m. 17 July 2019. BBC Sport. 27 August 2019.
  14. News: Hammers make Haller their record signing. 17 July 2019. West Ham United F.C.. 17 July 2019.
  15. News: 2019-07-17. West Ham break club record with £45m purchase of Sébastien Haller . The Guardian. 2020-07-03.
  16. News: Rose . Gary . West Ham United 0 - 5 Manchester City . 19 July 2022 . BBC Sport . 10 August 2019.
  17. News: Sutcliffe . Steve . Watford 1 - 3 West Ham United . 19 July 2022 . BBC Sport . 24 August 2019.
  18. News: Vlietstra . Bart . Sébastien Haller: 'I don't blame Moyes. I wasn't the striker he needed' . 19 July 2022 . The Guardian . 23 February 2022.
  19. News: Rosser . Jack . West Ham under investigation by Fifa over Sebastien Haller transfer . 19 July 2022 . Evening Standard . 3 July 2020.
  20. News: Haller wins December 2020 Budweiser Goal of the Month . 19 July 2022 . Premier League . 16 January 2021.
  21. Web site: Ajax signs Sébastien Haller . english.ajax.nl . . 8 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210108085232/https://english.ajax.nl/articles/ajax-signs-sebastien-haller/ . 8 January 2021 . nl . 8 January 2021.
  22. News: Flood . George . Sebastien Haller: West Ham offload striker to Ajax just 18 months after club-record transfer . 8 January 2021 . . 8 January 2021.
  23. Web site: Ajax 2-2 PSV Eindhoven Player Ratings. Football Oranje. 10 January 2021. 10 January 2021.
  24. News: FC Twente 1-3 Ajax . Sky Sports . 14 January 2021. 14 January 2021.
  25. Web site: Europa League: Ajax record-signing Haller mistakenly omitted from squad list. ESPN. 3 February 2021. 3 February 2021.
  26. News: Sporting Lisbon 1 - 5 Ajax . 19 July 2022 . BBC Sport . 15 September 2021.
  27. https://www.voetbalprimeur.nl/nieuws/999655/recordbreker-haller-extreem-trots-op-bijzondere-prestatie-het-is-aan-mij.html Haller extremely proud of record
  28. Web site: Sanderson-Murray. Joel. 24 November 2021. Sébastien Haller scores again to make Champions League history. OneFootball.
  29. Web site: Champions League top scorers: Haller goes clear. UEFA. 8 December 2021.
  30. Web site: 2022-07-09 . 10 things on Sebastien Haller . 2024-01-24 . bundesliga.com.
  31. News: Benfica 2-2 Ajax: Sebastien Haller nets for both teams as Benfica come from behind twice . 19 July 2022 . Sky Sports . 23 February 2022.
  32. News: Ten Hag's Ajax seal 36th Dutch title . 19 July 2022 . France 24 . 11 May 2022.
  33. Web site: KGaA . Borussia Dortmund GmbH & Co . BVB complete signing of Sébastien Haller . 2022-07-06 . www.bvb.de . en-GB.
  34. Web site: Ajax and Borussia Dortmund reach agreement for Sébastien Haller . 2022-07-08 . english.ajax.nl . en-US.
  35. Web site: Sebastien Haller: Striker leaves Borussia Dortmund training camp after testicular tumour found . BBC Sport . 18 July 2022 . 19 July 2022.
  36. Web site: 2022-07-30 . Haller kämpft gegen bösartigen Tumor . 2023-01-13 . Borussia Dortmund . de-DE.
  37. Web site: 2022-11-17 . BVB-Profi Haller muss operiert werden . 2023-01-13 . weltfussball.de . de.
  38. Web site: 2023-01-13 . Sebastien Haller: Borussia Dortmund striker returns following testicular cancer battle . 2023-01-13 . Bundesliga.com . en.
  39. News: 2023-01-03 . Dortmund's Haller back in training after cancer battle . en-US . Reuters . 2023-01-03.
  40. Web site: 2023-01-13 . "Ein ganz besonderer Moment": Wie Haller den BVB in die Verantwortung nahm . 2023-01-13 . kicker . de-DE.
  41. Web site: Haller-Hattrick in unter acht Minuten! BVB-Kantersieg gegen Basel . Bundesliga . de . 16 January 2023 .
  42. Web site: Dortmund 4–3 Augsburg . BBC Sports . 22 January 2023 .
  43. Web site: Borussia Dortmunds Sebastien Haller: Tor gegen den Krebs . DW . de . 4 February 2023 .
  44. Web site: BVB held to 2-2 draw by Mainz. Borussia Dortmund. 27 May 2024.
  45. Web site: Sébastien Haller ‘in no rush’ to make a decision on his Borussia Dortmund future. OneFootball. 22 April 2024.
  46. News: Coupe du Monde de la FIFA U17 2011 au Mexique du lundi 06 juin 2011 au mardi 12 juillet 2011 . 3 June 2011 . 8 January 2021 . . fr.
  47. News: U-17 : France-Argentine : 3-0 . 24 July 2022 . So Foot . 19 June 2011 . French.
  48. News: Foot : les Espoirs en balade contre l'Arménie . 24 July 2022 . Europe 1 . 15 November 2013 . French.
  49. News: Amical: les Bleuets battent l'Estonie 6 à 0 . 24 July 2022 . Le Point . 25 March 2015 . French.
  50. News: Espoirs: la France bat la Côte d'Ivoire en amical avec un triplé de Haller . 24 July 2022 . L'Express . 10 November 2016 . French.
  51. Web site: West Ham's Haller and Wolves' Boly handed maiden invitation to Ivory Coast national team Goal.com.
  52. Web site: Haller fait souffler la Côte d'Ivoire pour sa première. SOFOOT.com.
  53. News: Karen . Mattias . Goalkeeping blunder in injury time gifts Sierra Leone draw against Ivory Coast at Africa Cup of Nations . 19 July 2022 . Eurosport . 16 January 2022.
  54. News: Murray . Scott . Ivory Coast 0 - 0 Egypt . 19 July 2022 . The Guardian . 26 January 2022.
  55. Web site: CÔTE D'IVOIRE. Confederation of African Football. 5 January 2024.
  56. Web site: Haller goal knocks out DR Congo, takes Ivory Coast into AFCON 2024 final. France 24. 7 February 2024.
  57. Web site: Nigeria 1–2 Ivory Coast . BBC Sport . 11 February 2024 .
  58. News: Haller ready to return following cancer treatment . en-GB . BBC22.
  59. Web site: S. Haller: Summary. Soccerway. Perform Group. 15 April 2021.
  60. Web site: Côte D'Ivoire vs. Madagascar 2–1: Summary . Soccerway . Perform Group . 12 November 2020 . 22 November 2020.
  61. Web site: Côte D'Ivoire vs. Cameroon 2–1: Summary . Soccerway . Perform Group . 6 September 2021 . 6 September 2021.
  62. Web site: Côte D'Ivoire vs. Sierra Leone 2–2: Summary . Soccerway . Perform Group . 16 January 2022 . 16 January 2022.
  63. Web site: Côte D'Ivoire vs. Comoros 3–1: Summary . Soccerway . Perform Group . 24 March 2023 . 24 March 2023.
  64. News: Im Video: Eintracht Frankfurt ist DFB-Pokalsieger . In video: Eintracht Frankfurt is DFB-Pokal winner . DFB.de . . 19 May 2018 . 19 May 2018 . de.
  65. Web site: Ajax crowned Dutch champions after thumping win over Emmen. ESPN. 2 May 2021. 3 May 2021.
  66. News: Neres' stoppage-time goal seals Dutch Cup win . Ajax website . 18 April 2021 . 18 April 2021.
  67. Web site: Stevens . Rob . 11 February 2024 . Nigeria 1–2 Ivory Coast . 14 February 2024 . BBC Sport.
  68. Web site: Player Focus: Important Decision Ahead for Sought After Sébastien Haller. Who Scored?. 4 January 2016. 22 February 2020.
  69. Web site: Eintracht Frankfurt's Sebastien Haller named TAG Heuer Rookie of the Month for October. Bundesliga. 2017. 14 April 2021.
  70. Web site: Haller overhead kick voted Budweiser Goal of the Month. Premier League . 15 January 2021 . 15 January 2021.
  71. Web site: Ajax provides most players for team of the month February. March 4, 2022. eredivisie.eu.
  72. Web site: FC Twente is the main provider for the Eredivisie team of the month. April 1, 2022. eredivisie.eu.
  73. Web site: Stroud . James . 31 August 2022 . Sebastien Haller: Dortmund star fought back tears at Eredivisie awards . 15 February 2024 . GiveMeSport .