Berlin - Czech football forward Martin Fenin couldn't have introduced himself better to German Bundesliga.
In his first match for Eintracht Frankfurt, the 20-year old managed to score three goals, single-handedly securing an away win for his team in Berlin over Hertha.
"I am really very excited. After all, it was my first hat-trick ever," said Fenin to Eurosport.
His extraordinary feat humiliated a fellow Czech, Hertha's goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobný, and shocked 36 thousand spectators watching the game at the stadium in the German capital.
"I was a bit nervous before the match, I didn't know what to expect. Yes, I was relatively satisfied with the friendly matches I have played (with the team), but nothing indicated I would score hat-trick in my first game," he added.
Christmas present
Fenin first caught public fancy in July 2007 when he did very well in FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Canada.
Before signing the contract with Frankfurt at the very end of last year, Fenin played in Czech football league for Teplice.
The Czech striker raised high expectations among Frakfurt fans immediately after the transfer was sealed.
"That's one small step for Fenin, one giant leap for Eintracht Frankfurt," claimed somebody signed as Wimi from Potsdam on Frankfurt's official internet discussion forum.
"We couldn't have asked for better Christmas present," added Wimi.
SEE ALL THREE FENIN'S GOALS:
Fenin has become one of the most expensive purchases in the history of the club from Hesse, which signed him until 2012. Teplice claims it got 4 million euro for the striker, while German football magazine Kicker reports half a million less.
In choosing Frankfurt over Italian giant Juventus, which has also expressed interest in him, Fenin not only endeared himself with the German fans, but showed his main interest was to play regularly. After his spectlacular debut, he is now more than likely to achieve that goal.
"I made a rod for my own back"
"If told you I wasn't taken by surprise by such a successful debut, everybody would think I was dumb," said Fenin.
"I just wanted to play well, familiarize myself with the league I have known only from TV until now, and see if I was good enough to play it. And, well, I scored three times."
His still has to play his first home play for Frankfurt, though. And he is likely to get a very warm invitation. "I can't wait to hear the fans roar in the full house. People say I'm a new star," he smiled.
"It's very nice, but I made a rod for my own back. Now I have to withstand it," said Fenin about high expectations he has created by his stunning debut.
