Marco Richter has been able to go about his life and work normally again for a few months now. But not long ago, the professional from Hertha BSC received terrible news. The story of a return to normality in the Sportschau annual review 2022.
Anyone who sees Marco Richter play recognizes that he is an instinctive footballer. Nothing is more fun for him than dribbling, finding solutions in tight spaces, throwing himself into tackles and shooting at goal. The child can be seen on the soccer field in every action. Always with a touch of temper.
Shock diagnosis for Hertha professional Richter: testicular cancer
The sober analysis would possibly criticize the fact that Richter sometimes lacks tactical foresight and that he sometimes acts too hastily, so that technical imperfections creep in. With his courageous nature, however, it is always Richter who enlivens the game of his team and causes the unforeseen.
And Richter is now very familiar with the unforeseen. In mid-July, the 25-year-old received the shock diagnosis: During a urological examination, a tumor was diagnosed in the testicles, which had to be surgically removed.
“Fear for life and never being able to play football again”
At that moment everything fades into the background. “The fear of dying and never being able to play football again”is all that concerns Richter at this moment, he tells the “Spiegel”. “I could hardly speak and started crying. You associate so many things with news like this. A tumour, cancer! The word sounds really bad.”
But Richter is lucky in his misfortune. A few days later it turns out that the tumor in the left testicle is malignant but has not spread. He therefore does not have to undergo any chemotherapy and can get back into training quite quickly.
“It was unbelievable how my team-mates, Sandro Schwarz, Fredi Bobic, Kay Bernstein and the whole club helped me.”Richter himself spoke up at the time. “Every single message, every single comment, every video and every encouragement has helped me through the uncertain time and encouraged me.”
Richter reports back impressively
Because of his fate, Richter assumes a role model function. “If I may allow myself to say one thing: get checked up regularly and don’t play tough. Going to the doctor early was my great luck.”he tells the public via Instagram.
He now takes his situation with humor. “Fortunately, I can now laugh about what happened. You have to laugh about it. That’s good. It helps me when people joke about it. It helps me to process everything.” The fact that Richter has been able to play football again for a few months will certainly help this process. Running, chasing the ball, and dancing with it are comforting normalities for him.
In terms of sport, Richter seems to be completely his old self again. On his second substitution since his return, he scored the decisive 2-0 winner against his former club, FC Augsburg. In the game that followed against Leverkusen, the attacking winger even managed a dream goal with a volley from 25 meters out, which exploded the Berlin Olympic Stadium and later became a choice for the goal of the month.
In his twelve league games so far this season, Richter has recorded a strong three goals and two assists – last season there were only two more goals after 30 games.
Trainer Schwarz: “Marco is a symbol”
Richter has reported back impressively. Possibly precisely because he appreciates the value of the “just kick” hardly understands like anyone else at the moment. What was briefly an absolute minor matter is now the focus again – a privilege.
Hertha’s coach Sandro Schwarz is full of praise. “Of course it’s a gripping story of how Marco dealt with this difficult situation. And how quickly he now underpins his performance – week after week, even day after day in training. Marco is also a symbol of how our group continues to grow together .”
In fact, Hertha BSC is more united on and off the field than it has been for many years. The ranks in the club bodies are united, the separation from Lars Windhorst is in progress, the squad seems more homogeneous than it has been for a long time and coach Schwarz is implementing his philosophy better and better. Marco Richter and the “old lady” – both are on the way to the longed-for normality.