Father of Benfica star reveals decisive talk: there were ups and downs | OneFootball

Fredrik Aursnes is now one of Benfica’s most important players, but the road to top-level football was far from simple. Gunnar Aursnes, father of the Norwegian international, revealed previously unknown details about the career of the Benfica midfielder and recalled the moment that ended up changing everything. According to him, the Nordic player had serious doubts about leaving his comfort zone to sign for Molde in 2016. The distance from home and the change in lifestyle made the midfielder hesitant, a situation that led to a decisive meeting with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

“There were advances and setbacks, and he had to talk to Ole Gunnar before becoming convinced that Molde was the right place. We travelled at night, in the dark, and met him at the stadium the next day. After a good conversation, we ended up signing the contract. So yes, Solskjaer meant a lot,” he said in an interview published in the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet.

The former Manchester United striker’s confidence was immediate. Solskjaer put his faith in the young midfielder and quickly realized the competitive profile he had at his disposal. “He brought down a player who was 30 kilos heavier. When Solskjaer saw that, he realized what he had signed”, the player’s father recalled, referring to a European match against Sevilla.

The interview also shed light on a less public side of Aursnes - who could be the Club’s next captain. Although he is now a recognized figure in European football, the midfielder has always had a reserved and introverted personality. Gunnar even explained that his son once turned down call-ups to Norway’s youth national teams because he did not feel comfortable outside his usual environment. “It’s part of the reserved nature he has always had. He’s like his father and quite introverted. I used to say, ‘If you don’t want to go, that’s fine’”, he admitted.

Today, after winning titles, playing at the highest European level and establishing himself as one of Benfica’s key figures, Gunnar Aursnes assures that his son remains true to his roots. “Having my son in the national team is huge for me. Very few make it there, so of course it’s significant. He has changed and grown, obviously. He is more self-assured, but as a person, I don’t think he has changed all that much,” he concluded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.