Danny Welbeck, the experienced Brighton striker, cracked a joke after scoring to knock Manchester United out of the FA Cup, boasting about his good genetics.
On 12 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Danny Welbeck jokingly said after scoring to eliminate Manchester United from the FA Cup that he couldn’t reveal the secret to his late-career good form, or else anti-doping officials would come looking for him.
The 35-year-old forward, who grew up in Old Trafford’s academy before being released over a decade ago, has scored five goals against the “Red Devils” for Brighton. His latest was a beautiful left-footed strike into the top corner that helped his team win 2-1 away at Manchester United.
Despite being 35, Welbeck continues to perform consistently, leading to talk of a possible recall to the England national team ahead of the World Cup in a few months. He affirmed that his good form comes from preparation, discipline, and dedication, but joked that some might think otherwise.
“I can’t reveal the secret, or the anti-doping officials will come after me! I’m okay, I’m clean, I have good genetics, a good family, my parents gave me good genes. Everything comes from hard work. I work hard every day, take care of myself, eat well, and prepare properly for every training session. Now I feel good, very strong.”
Welbeck said he does not want to think too far ahead to the big tournament in the United States. “For me, I focus on the present, enjoy the moment. I know in football, everything can change in an instant, anything can happen. So I’m just happy now, taking care of myself and controlling what I can. I feel great.”
Last season, Welbeck scored 11 goals, his first double-digit tally since 2018. This season, he is on track to surpass that record with 8 goals so far, with only Leeds United’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin among English players scoring more this season.
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