At the age of 54, Mario Basler made his comeback on the football field – and scored straight away.
In the game of the district league Osnabrück, season B, of the SC Türkgücü Osnabrück against the SSC Dodesheide II, the former national soccer player scored the interim 1:2 for the hosts in front of 500 spectators.
As in the best professional days, he converted a free kick from the left side directly. The game ended 2:2 (1:2).
Basler – otherwise also an opinionated guest on football talk shows – has been Türkgücü’s coach since February 2022. Since the league leaders are currently struggling with a few absentees, the former player for 1. FC Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen and FC Bayern Munich had to play it himself this time.
With the slogan “A soccer hero returns to the pitch” Türkücü advertised the game on Instagram and promised “barbecue, drink & a great soccer game”.
After 71 minutes it was over for Basler against Dodesheide. “I need a cigarette,” the live ticker quoted him as saying when he was substituted.
He still had enough air to coach his team from the sidelines and loudly urge them on with a cigarette in his hand.
With success: In the 90th minute, Türkgücü equalized through Querim Avdijaj. But it wasn’t enough for the tenth win in a row. Next opportunity for Basler: on Friday in the away game at SG Wimmer/Lintorf.