Too weak for the Bundesliga, too good for the amateur leagues. Alessandro Tomasello lives a life between two football worlds. Which has led to many a shattered dream for the 28-year-old.
Alessandro Tomasello sets the pace. The waiter flits between the kitchen and the dining room in the restaurant “Pane e Vino” in Bochum; there are many hungry visitors there that evening. “Not a bad job,” says Tomasello. But actually the 28-year-old would much rather do something completely different: “I would have liked to become a professional footballer. That was my dream since I was a child. Unfortunately it didn’t work. At least not yett,” he says.
Tomasello, born in Gelsenkirchen and therefore in the deepest part of the Ruhr region, has been walking between the worlds of football for years: that of professional football and that of amateur sport. In other words: Tomasello is not good enough for the Bundesliga, but actually too strong for amateur football. Which means that he is currently playing in the 4th league: Tomasello is a mainstay at regional league team Türkspor Dortmund.
Professional contract? “It’s a mystery to me…”
He led the up-and-coming club to promotion last season as a playmaker and goalscorer and is now fighting with them against immediate relegation. “Actually“, says Tomasello, “I would at least have what it takes for the 2nd league, that’s what I get confirmed again and again by players and coaches. It’s a mystery to me why it hasn’t worked so far.”
The son of Italian immigrants came closest in the summer of 2021 after narrowly failing to gain promotion to the regional league with the then fifth division club RSV Meinerzhagen. His coach in Meinerzhagen at the time was Nuri Sahin. The current coach of Borussia Dortmund referred the difference player Tomasello, who had previously worked for Schwarz-Weiss Essen, Preußen Münster and FC Kray, to the Turkish first division club Antalyaspor for a trial.
2020: Nuri Sahin gives instructions to Alessandro Tomasello
Sorted out in Turkey
“Things were going well in preparation for the season in Turkey, but then they sorted me out after three weeks in the championship“, Tomasello regrets. He thinks his performance was good. He is convinced that in Antalya he only had the “Standing of an experienced professional was missing to be firmly committed.”
Antalya could have been something like Tomasello’s last big chance – the left-footer, who was trained in Wattenscheid and at Schalke and counts his then teammate Leroy Sané among his friends, has not received a comparable offer since. “It could also be because I don’t have an advisor” says Tomasello.
Bad experiences with consultants
Years ago he relied on the brokerage services of a representative in this industry, but had bad experiences. “I didn’t feel like the counselor really cared about me“Tomasello remembers.
There’s plenty to do in the family restaurant.
So he is after the “Turkey adventure“As he himself calls it, he went back into high-end amateur football – and accepted the offer from Türkspor Dortmund. This step backwards in football naturally also meant another professional turning point.”Before Antalya, I started training as a physiotherapist. When I got the opportunity to go to Turkey, I stopped the training shortly before the exam” describes Tomasello, who openly admits: “So now I have basically nothing – no football contract but also no training qualification.”
“I had to take the chance”
Nevertheless, he doesn’t regret his path: “I simply had to take advantage of the opportunity in Antalya. I would have blamed myself for the rest of my life if I hadn’t taken that risk.”
The truth that is known on the pitch in football also includes the fact that Tomasello has to take care of his financial perspective outside of professional football. Fourth division players in Germany earn an average of a maximum of 1,000 euros per month; for Tomasello there are also occasional appearances in the “Baller League”.
In the celebrity indoor spectacle created by Lukas Podolski and Mats Hummels, he receives 400 euros per stake and an additional 100 euros in prize money. “Of course that’s not enough to support me“says Tomasello.”I have certain demands on my quality of life and, for example, I also like to travel“, he explains.
Perspective: Parents’ restaurant
That’s why Tomasello is delighted about his opportunity to work at “Pane e Vino”, his parents’ restaurant. He also sees his professional future there: “We are currently working on another property where we can get the restaurant and enough living space for all family members under one roof. I will then be challenged in the future“Thinks Tomasello. Unless a professional club gets in touch with him.”Maybe by chance a door will open again somewhere. I haven’t completely given up on the dream of professional football yet” says Tomasello.