Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin insists his love for fashion doesn’t take his focus away from football, as the Spain international became the first active Premier League player to address the Oxford Union.
Bellerin has made a habit of posting photos of himself wearing various designer outfits on social media and made a much-publicised visit to London Fashion Week last month.
Aside from the mixed reviews his choice of clothing often gets, some fans have also worried whether the right-back is spending too much time on his hobby instead of working on his game. But during his appearance at the Oxford Union, Bellerin insisted that isn’t the case.
“So many people tweet me saying focus on the game, having seen me at fashion shows or whatever, and I am just like ‘don’t worry,'” Bellerin said during the event. “I am a human being. I have passions, I have hobbies but equally, I am a footballer and that is my main focus.”
Mesut Ozil is also addressing the Oxford Union later this month, with the two Arsenal players joining a list of past speakers that include prime ministers, Nobel laureates, business executives and famous actors.
Bellerin wrote on his Twitter account it was “a real honour” to be invited to speak at the union.
The right-back, who joined Arsenal from Barcelona’s academy as a teenager, also addressed the differences between the two clubs.
“It was like night and day,” he said. “At Barcelona I was just 8-16, when I came to Arsenal I was a professional footballer.
“At Barcelona we were just kicking around on the pitch. At Arsenal, my first day, there were no balls.”
Mattias is ESPN FC’s Arsenal correspondent. Follow him on Twitter: @MattiasKaren.