Sheen Forced to Give Up Childhood Soccer Dream

2 months ago 20th Sep 09:35

Underworld star Michael Sheen had to give up his dream of becoming a professional soccer star - because his family refused to leave his native Wales.

The actor was offered an apprenticeship at London club Arsenal when he was 12, but his father ruled out the big break - because it meant the whole family would have to move to England.

Sheen was devastated at the time, but, looking back, he's glad his dad made the decision not to follow his son's dreams.

He says, "I joined the youth team and when I was old enough I'dstart work in the club and work with the players, and, when you get old enough - if they think you're good enough - you sign with the team.

I was glad in hindsight that my dad had made that decision because, atthe time, I was so upset because all I cared about was footballMichael Sheen

"Arsenal was one of the top four or five clubs in Britain at the time, but it would've meant leaving my small town in Wales and my wholefamily relocating to London, and they weren't happy about that. So my dad said no.

"He said I was too young to make the decision and, when I was 16, if they were still interested I could go. By then I'd met girls and I had started drinking, and all that kind of stuff and got into acting. "I was glad in hindsight that my dad had made that decision because, atthe time, I was so upset because all I cared about was football.

By the time I was 15, that obsession had refocused onto acting and, if I'd made it, my career would've been over by now in football.

The chances of making a success in sport are even more remote to making a success in acting".