Dominik Szoboszlai’s father, Zsolt, a former professional footballer, played a pivotal role in shaping his son’s career by founding a football academy and putting Dominik through rigorous training to prepare him for the highest level.

Reports have revealed that Zsolt introduced unconventional training methods, such as having Dominik hold a golf ball during practice to discourage shirt pulling, pushing him to develop more technical skills for winning the ball back.

According to a source close to the Szoboszlai family, Zsolt employed another unique tactic to mold Dominik’s future as a footballer—he made him wear boots slightly smaller than his actual size during his childhood.

This practice may have contributed to Dominik’s current stature—over 6 feet tall, yet wearing a UK size 7 boot. In Hungary, there is an old belief that smaller feet can make one a better footballer, as it allows for cleaner strikes on the ball.

“It’s a tip, a football hack, if you will,” the source explains. “With big feet, it’s challenging to shoot the ball perfectly unless you’re someone like Ibrahimovic. To strike the ball well, you need long legs and smaller feet, which is why Dominik’s father was so strict with him when he was young. Just look at him now.”

Whether smaller feet actually improve football skills is still up for debate, but the Liverpool midfielder certainly possesses a powerful shot.