It was a day that Salzburg’s Spanish striker, Jonathan Soriano, is unlikely to ever forget. On Saturday afternoon, the leading goal-scorer for his club this season experienced the birth of his third child, a baby girl named Abril.
In a remarkable turn of events, immediately after witnessing the birth, Soriano expressed his desire to play through an intermediary, stating, “The little senorita is here, we are on our way to the stadium. Tell the coach Jonny would like to play if he can.”
The match between Salzburg, currently second in the standings behind Austria Vienna, and Wolfsberg had started 23 minutes earlier. Despite the limited time for preparation, Soriano took to the field at the beginning of the second half with the score tied at 2-2.
In an extraordinary display, he went on to score three goals in quick succession, securing his 23rd, 24th, and 25th goals of the season, contributing to Salzburg’s final 6-2 victory over Wolfsberg.
After the match, Soriano, who had taken a shower, shared his thoughts, saying, “It’s an incredible day for me. Having the chance to play and score three goals, I think I won’t forget it anytime soon.” He then headed back to the maternity ward to be with his family.
The entire sequence, from witnessing the birth to scoring a hat-trick on the same day, made it an unforgettable and joyous occasion for Jonathan Soriano.
