I was born this way, says Hungary's Adam on fat-shaming memes

STUTTGART, Germany — Footballers nowadays tend to be lean and svelte to keep up with the demands of the fast-paced game, so Hungary forward Martin Adam is not surprised to see social media memes about his unusually large frame, even if some go too far.

Adam came on as a substitute late in Hungary's opening 3-1 defeat by Switzerland in Cologne and caused a stir among fans online who were surprised to see a player 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing around 86 kilogrammes running onto the pitch.

The Ulsan Hyundai striker also has a shaved head and a large ginger beard, leading to his nickname the "Hungarian Viking".

"The posts? Of course one or two get to me, I usually have a laugh about it," Adam, 29, told a press conference at the team's base on Sunday.

"I was born this way, I have this body shape. I'm not saying that I was this big when I was born, but I have a basic, physique. Genetics — I can't change that."

Most of the posts are positive, though, as Adam has quickly become something of a fan favourite already at the tournament after his short cameo.

Hungary supporters will just be hoping their No. 9 can add to his three-goal tally for the team in their next game, against Germany on Wednesday, as they seek to reach the knockout stage for the first time since Euro 2016.

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