“However bitter this news may be at first, we are full of hope and confidence that Jean-Paul will recover and return to our circle as soon as possible,” said technical director Fredi Bobic. “Until his return, he will receive every conceivable support from us. We will be close as the Hertha family and wish him only the best.”
Former clubs Feyenoord, FC Basel and Mainz also support the Rotterdammer via social media. Hertha asks everyone to leave Boëtius alone. ‘As soon as there are more findings about the healing process, Hertha BSC will inform you about this. Until then, we kindly ask you not to ask questions out of respect for privacy,” the Berlin club said in a statement on Thursday.
On Friday evening, Boëtius made himself heard via a message on Instagram. Thank you for the heartwarming and uplifting words. I feel very blessed and privileged because of you. Special thanks to Hertha BSC and the medical team for all the help,” he says with a photo of him in the hospital.
Boëtius is in his first season with Hertha BSC. He came over from Mainz last summer, which took him over from Feyenoord in 2018.
The attacker is not the first player in the Bundesliga to have a tumor in his testicles discovered. Last summer, Hertha teammate Marco Richter was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Former Ajax player Sébastien Haller (Borussia Dortumd) and PSV mercenary Timo Baumgartl (Union Berlin) recently had the same thing happen.
Haller had surgery and chemotherapy. The striker is currently working on his recovery. Baumgartl was sidelined for six months after surgery and chemotherapy. However, the 26-year-old defender has fully recovered and made his comeback at the Bundesliga leader against VfL Wolfsburg last weekend.