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A footballer missed the birth of his daughter in Spain because he had a vastly more significant life moment to attend to – scoring in an inconsequential league match.
Villarreal forward Alexander Sorloth swerved the birth of baby Emma to go and score a 92th-minute winner against Almeria.
The Norwegian marksman had been given special dispensation by Villarreal to miss the match and treasure one of the most special moments of his shared life with partner Lena Selnes.
But Sorloth, 28, knew where his priorities lay and scored the winner in a 2-1 victory away from home to help Villarreal retain their ninth-placed berth in LaLiga.
To top it all off, he produced a baby-cradling celebration and sucked his thumb in tribute to his newborn, who no doubt understood and appreciated him paying homage.
Alexander Sorloth missed the birth of his daughter to Lena Selnes to play a football match
The Villarreal striker missed the birth of his daughter to score a 92nd-minute winner
Sorloth used to play for Crystal Palace but only scored one goal in 20 games for them
You can’t question his commitment to the cause.
He should be familiar to some fans in England as he had a 20-game stint with Crystal Palace between 2018 and 2020, although he only scored one goal for them.
Once a deadline day signing for £9million from Danish side FC Midtjylland, things didn’t go to plan at Selhurst Park, but he is thriving in Spain.
Sorloth is now on 18 goals for this season, even if Villarreal have been out of sorts. Palace fans might be wishing they could have him back.
With his 15-goal haul in LaLiga, he is only three strikes off top scorer Artem Dobvyk of Girona and might be hoping he can make a late charge for the Trofeo Pichichi, awarded to the top scorer.
As quirky as his story sounds, he isn’t the first player to miss his first moments of fatherhood to get his fix of football.
Marius Hoibraten, who plays for Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds, missed the birth of his son to be present at the Club World Cup in December.
In the end it was a calamitous decision because he scored an own goal against Manchester City, who beat them 3-0 in the semi-finals. He did, however, still get to witness the fruit of his loins being born over Facetime.
Other footballers have made the opposite decision.
Sorloth has scored 18 goals in all competitions this season but Villarreal are mid-table
Xabi Alonso missed a 2008 Champions League quarter-final match for Liverpool to be present at birth and fell out with manager Rafa Benitez as a result.
Meanwhile, Fabian Delph flew home from the 2018 World Cup and missed England’s 4-3 penalty shoot-out win over Colombia in the last 16 to be with his wife as hos wife, Natalie, as their third duahgter was born.
