During his official presentation at FC Bayern, Ismael Saibari didn’t just talk about sports. The 25-year-old also surprised everyone with his language skills. The new signing already speaks five languages—and plans to add a sixth as soon as possible.
At his official presentation and first press conference as a Bayern player, new signing Ismael Saibari spoke about his passion for languages and different cultures. The attacking player made it clear that he also wants to integrate quickly into Munich life through language.
“I speak five languages—English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Dutch—and hopefully German soon as well. I enjoy languages, different cultures, and learning about them,” Saibari explained.
German as the Next Goal
With his debut for the German record champions, the 25-year-old has thus set himself a clear goal off the field as well. German is set to become the next language in his repertoire.
Especially for a player who is new to a country and a team, language can play an important role. Thanks to his previous stints, Saibari already brings an unusually broad cultural and linguistic background to the table.
The attacking player was born in Belgium; his family has Moroccan roots. His soccer career then took him to the Netherlands, where he made his breakthrough in professional soccer with PSV Eindhoven.
Consequently, Saibari was exposed to various languages and cultures from an early age. He clearly does not view these experiences as a burden, but rather as an enrichment.
Saibari wants to integrate quickly
At FC Bayern, the next challenge now awaits the versatile attacking player. In addition to adjusting to the team’s style of play, Saibari must also get used to a new environment and new routines.
“My teammates have welcomed me very warmly; everyone has been very nice to me, including the staff. It’s all been wonderful,” Saibari said, describing his first impressions at the record-holding champions.
The fact that he speaks several languages should work to his advantage and continue to help him in the future. Within the Bayern squad, he’s joined by players from numerous countries and is already able to communicate easily with many of his teammates.
English is, after all, an important lingua franca in international soccer. At the same time, Saibari’s knowledge of French and Spanish should also allow him to connect with many teammates.
He now wants to learn German as quickly as possible. This would allow the new Bayern signing to adapt even more fully to his new home, including linguistically.