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Socceroos Star Misses Birth for Football Career
17 Mar
Summary
- Goalkeeper Mat Ryan missed his son's birth to prioritize his early season football commitments.
- He later flew to Perth to meet his son, Preston James Ryan, after a six-month wait.
- Ryan's partner Chloe and their baby have since joined him in Valencia, Spain.
Socceroos captain Mat Ryan has revealed the challenging choice he made to miss the birth of his first child. Prioritizing his early season commitments with Spanish club Levante, Ryan opted not to return to Australia when his partner, Chloe, went into labor on September 20. He feared losing his place in the team if he took time off.
His son, Preston James Ryan, was born on September 21. Ryan admitted the decision was tough but ultimately stuck to their original plan. He later flew to Perth to meet his son and reunite with Chloe, spending 30 hours in Australia before returning to Spain.
Six months later, Ryan is excelling both as a father and a goalkeeper for Levante. Chloe and Preston have joined him in Valencia. Ryan is now looking forward to the Socceroos' upcoming matches in Sydney and Melbourne, which will be Preston's first trip to Australia.
