Eric Dier is also working hard off the pitch to feel at home at FC Bayern and is busy learning German. The defender explains the background and why he is now benefiting from his experiences in his youth.
Originally signed as a stopgap, Eric Dier has earned himself a regular place at FC Bayern in a very short space of time and is currently an indispensable part of the Munich side’s central defence.
But Dier is also endeavouring to integrate quickly at the record champions off the pitch. The Englishman is busy learning German. „I have lessons every day, I want to learn the language,“ Dier told kicker in an interview.
However, it is not easy for him, as he admits: „I speak Portuguese and Spanish as well as English. German isn’t easy because it’s completely different. But I try. My wife speaks and understands a lot. She comes from South Africa and speaks Afrikaans, which is similar. She translates for me.“
Dier trained at Sporting Lisbon
In principle, however, the new arrival from Tottenham Hotspur does not find it too difficult to adapt to a foreign environment. This has to do with his childhood experiences. Dier had to grow up early and spent his youth in the youth academy of Sporting Lisbon, where Cristiano Ronaldo was also trained. „That helped me enormously. I may be English, but I’m from Portugal. I grew up there, this country has shaped me, it’s my home, it’s made me who I am,“ says Dier looking back.
His time in Portugal had a strong influence on him: „Like FC Bayern now, Sporting Lisbon also taught me a lot of values – above all respect and that hard work pays off. The experience of having already lived in several countries naturally makes it easier for me to settle in here more quickly. You know what’s important. For me, this also includes learning the language as quickly as possible. Just as a sign of respect for the people here in the country and my colleagues in the cabin.“
Dier came through the youth teams at Sporting Lisbon from 2004 to 2014 before returning to his native country on a permanent basis to Tottenham Hotspur. His contract with FC Bayern, which was originally only due to run until the end of the season, has now been automatically extended until the summer of 2025.
