Pascal Struijk is now engaged!

Approximately half of the Leeds United team and employees were in the same situation as the 23-year-old when he became a parent approximately six months ago. Struijk did tell a few people about Ayla Rose; it’s just that no one inquired. It wasn’t like he was hiding anything.

“Most people would post it on Instagram, but I prefer to keep things private,” the defender stated from Leeds’ Spanish training camp. A couple was aware. On the training ground, I kept silent, but if the topic had come up in discussion, I would have brought it up. I did send the group a message.

He received the news as a tattoo on his leg, which is getting very covered in ink. The place of his initial meeting with his wife Abigail is marked with coordinates. Another surprise to many in Leeds was their wedding, which was originally announced via an Instagram post on their anniversary. There’s a strong possibility you won’t get one until you ask or notice someone else getting one.

Big questions are fine with Struijk, though. Having been thrust into the Premier League at the tender age of 20, he was tested to the breaking point by the finest players in the world’s greatest league—at Anfield, of all places. Having made 56 games in the English top division before this season, he may have approached this campaign knowing what to anticipate. The question did, however, then shift. Due to Junior Firpo’s injury struggles, Struijk was able to step into the void at left-back and perform admirably.

I’m not sure how many positions I’ve played in since coming to Leeds,” he beams. “Try-new things are beneficial, and it’s great that it’s working out. It constantly excites me to take on new challenges because it allows me to get better as a player overall.

“I think [I played there] a couple of times under Marcelo when he was still here, or in the 23s, which was mainly fitness focused so I had just a little experience, not too much.”