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FC Bayern invites Tanner Tessmann (19) to a trial training – but who is that?

The color red already suits him: Tanner Tessmann (right) is said to have received an invitation to test training at FC Bayern. – Photo: Imago Images

The color red already suits him: Tanner Tessmann (right) is said to have received an invitation to a trial training at FC Bayern. – Photo: Imago Images

FC Bayern Munich is happy to accept US sponsorship money, but that has not been the case for players from overseas for half a century. But the tide seems to be turning since Chris Richards’ transfer (2018). According to reports, Bayern are inviting 19-year-old Tanner Tessmann (FC Dallas) to a trial training session on the FCB campus. One who said of American football coach Dabo Swinney (about $ 9 million a year), “He’s the guy who’s going to make you angry.”

After the promotion to the Bundesliga in 1966, 43 years passed before the first – primarily US-American – citizen wore an FC Bayern shirt. That pioneer was Landon Donovan (38) in 2009. The dream player of the then coach Jürgen Klinsmann came on loan, but only made six short appearances in Munich. “Tiger” Hermann Gerland, then and now assistant coach at Bayern, even judged Donovan to be too bad for the reserve. So Donovan did nothing to improve the Bavarian image of the American footballer. And so it took another nine years before the next one came.

That was Chris Richards, 20, defense attorney. In February 2018, Bayern started a strategic cooperation with FC Dallas, a founding member of the MLS (Major League Soccer). Five months later, Richards landed in Munich, one year later he was a regular for the amateurs (champions in the third division) and made his professional debut in June 2020 under coach Hansi Flick. Alphonso Davies is also from the MLS, but has Canadian citizenship. The 20-year-old hit like a bomb last season and played his way into the hearts of football fans around the world. Plus point for North America – or even two.

“He showed up there and was the best guy”

With Tanner Tessmann, the next course is to take the “Franz Josef Strauss” airport. The only question is: who is that anyway?

The midfielder, trained on the six and eight, belongs to the cooperation partner FC Dallas. Tessmann and Chris Richards know each other very well, come from the same area (Birmingham, Alabama) and played together in the state’s Olympic sponsorship program. Tessmann is highly talented and is aware of that. Already at the age of 14 he knew “that if I work hard, I would make it to the highest level,” Tessmann told ESPN. At that age, he moved from home to join FC Dallas.

One day Dabo Swinney, coach of the Clemson Tigers college football team, couldn’t believe his eyes. Swinney (51) is Tessmann’s godfather and only knew at the time that the boy was a good athlete. But what came next surprised him too: Tessmann tried his hand at playing a football game on the sidelines of a visit to Clemson, his parents’ new home, for fun. First with the left, then with the right; 58 meters with one big foot, 47 with the other. “They have people at the Kicking Camp who do it every day all year round. He never kicked a football, showed up there and was the best guy. If you’re a kicker are, he is the type who will make you angry, “Swinney told” ESPN “.

Tessmann makes things look easy. Moving to FC Dallas at the age of 14 was a dream: “That was the goal and when that goal came it was child’s play.” The club let its talent stew for a while, but injury problems in February meant that coach Luchi Gonzalez could not get past him. Tessmann was there immediately and played in 18 other games, mostly as a regular player. Gregg Berhalter (47), ex-player from 1860 Munich and coach of the U20, had even considered nominating Tessmann for the U20 World Cup in Indonesia, but FIFA postponed the tournament by two years due to the pandemic.

So Munich? A step to Europe would be only logical, the step to Bayern would be the most challenging. Tanner Tessmann does it as always, he takes it easy: “If I get a call, I’ll be called. And I’ll prove myself there.” Dallas or Munich – what’s the difference …

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