Mario Basler is not a big fan of women’s football.
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imago / Rolf Simeon
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2.7
“Women’s European Championship is worse than summer break,” he once tweeted.
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imago images / Rolf Simeon
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3.7
He has a lot of fun at the unofficial World Cup in Arosa.
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imago images / Höhne
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7.7
He always made one or the other escapade.
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Former soccer professional Mario Basler is currently touring the world with his comedy program “Basler shoots”. Fits. Basler, the character type, rarely takes a leaf out of his mouth. Because of his escapades, the ex-professional often had to struggle with his bosses during his career. A well-known example is the “Pizzeria Affair” in October 1999.
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Basler was injured in rehab. And according to his theory, everyone who is in the rehabilitation center also goes out in the evening. Together with his colleague, Sven Scheuer, FC Bayern’s second goalkeeper at the time, he visits a pizzeria. There he is badly insulted by a guy. Basler remains unexpectedly calm. His friend Scheuer then “took care of the unknown outside”, according to Basler’s version. Bayern manager Uli Hoeness of course had no joy in this story. He believed that Mario Basler had his fists in the game too. The result: Basler is suspended.
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Stubborn at the hotel bar
The story before the Bayern Munich Champions League final against Manchester United in 1999 also caused inconsistencies among Mario Basler’s bosses. The Palatinate exceptional talent sat in the hotel bar until half past three in the evening before the game. Ottmar Hitzfeld and Uli Hoeness came down a few times to send him to bed. Basler remained stubborn and said no. He wanted to drink another beer. The tenth.
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The Bayern bosses threatened him not to be allowed to play the next day. What does “Super Mario” say? In his well-known modesty he only says: Then we can’t win. Speaking of modest: Basler once said that he was convinced that he was the best footballer in his day. And most likely the one who had paid the most fines in his career. Over 400,000 marks.
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A welcome guest in shows
Mario Basler’s football career starts at 1. FC Kaiserslautern. There he makes his Bundesliga debut and then moves to the 2nd division at Rot-Weiss Essen. Clubs like Hertha BSC, Werder Bremen and Bayern followed. With the Munich team, Basler even becomes German champion. Mario Basler’s career is rounded off again by Kaiserslautern and a short detour to Qatar.
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Today, “Super Mario” is a welcome guest in various talk formats or reality shows. From the soccer show “Doppelpass” to “Celebrity Big Brother”. However, he has already rejected the “jungle camp” several times.
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Meeting old companions
The German does not yet give up the soccer shoes. So he plays at the Snow World Cup in Arosa in mid-January in Team Germany. It is only enough for rank 3 (out of four). The encounter with the Bremen coach legend Otto Rehhagel is probably more gratifying. The two maintain a special “player-coaching relationship” (Rehhagel brought Basler to Werder Bremen in 1993).
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At that time Rehhagel had to close a few eyes. For example, when it comes to Basler’s behavior. Reshaping him would have been useless. It only worked as it was and wanted to be. Basler still calls Rehhagel “my dad, my foster father, who allowed me a lot.”
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But sentimental feelings no longer come up today, says Basler: “It’s always nice when we see each other. We worked together for a long time. »Still, he doesn’t miss the old days.
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“Women’s European Championship is worse than summer break”
A lot has changed since then. There are stricter rules on and off the field. Difficult circumstances for someone like Basler. Would he still have fun as an active person today? “Probably not.” But he would have taken it anyway. “Of course, I don’t know whether it would be fun for the others,” continues Basler. The 30-time international player no longer has to worry about that. He also doesn’t care to what extent today’s footballers are out of line.
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Basler are less concerned about women in football. In 2013, before the European Championship in Sweden, the German tweeted: “Women’s European Championship is worse than a summer break.” Even talking to women about football is difficult for him. “Women’s football is not my thing, but we have to get used to it,” he says. After all, more and more women are coming to the interview. I am referring to reporters who ask him about football. After all: dislike sounds different.