When Basler was dropped from the DFB squad after a scandalous match
At the beginning of the week, Mario Basler caused a sensation when he went on a live TV show from his couch at home. As he says himself, he was on the verge of a "nervous breakdown". 25 years ago, Basler annoyed the entire soccer nation with his scandalous appearance in the DFB squad.
On Tuesday, Mario Basler called in live to "Sport1-Fantalk" because one word in the talk show didn't sit well with him: "I'm about to go crazy with your stress management." The occasion was FC Bayern Munich's match at Manchester United. And as the record champions had already been confirmed as group winners, former Bundesliga player Thomas Brdaric had brought up the subject. But Basler was so upset by the word that he said he would have "a nervous breakdown" if it was mentioned even once more.
25 years ago, Mario Basler personally dealt with the issue of "load management" for himself - by only doing the bare minimum in some games. At the time, a major German sports magazine mocked the fact that he "took so many breaks" in a Champions League match that even Franz Beckenbauer remarked worriedly afterwards: "Basler almost froze to death."
It was not an easy few days for the midfielder back in December 1998, but nobody could have guessed it: Shortly beforehand, Mario Basler had already played his last game for the German national team against the Netherlands in Gelsenkirchen. At the age of 29. The new national coach Erich Ribbeck was so shocked by Basler's "tired performance" after the game against his neighbors that he said, visibly irritated: "The Holland game was very instructive and informative for me." Ribbeck said exactly what he meant a few days later.
Ribbeck kicked Basler out
At this point, it had already become public knowledge that Basler had "once again gone wild" on the sidelines of the international match, as reported by "Sportbild" at the time. And so his scandalous performance against the Netherlands had serious consequences for him. The national coach announced Basler's withdrawal from the German national team in a veiled but clear manner: "I will take all impressions into account when nominating him. This includes performance on the pitch as well as behavior off it. Then one or the other will be missing." Ribbeck was referring exclusively to the Bayern player at the time.
However, it was not only his exclusion from the DFB squad that was tragic for Basler, but above all the aftermath. The Munich team actually wanted to talk to their bustling midfield strategist about extending his contract. However, after being demoted from the national team, they decided not to do so for the time being. This, in turn, did not go down well with Basler. Open-hearted and aggressive, he said: "There is also life after FC Bayern. I won't be taken for a ride!" In fact, the man from Neustadt an der Weinstraße has never forgotten this affront.
When most of the players were moping after Barcelona's unfortunate defeat in the Champions League final against Manchester United, one player was still celebrating: Mario Basler. He turned night into day: "I broke the table at the presidium. Rummenigge shouted up to me: 'You're getting a contract for life. I shouted: But two people have to sign it." It was the starting signal for the end of Mario Basler at FC Bayern.
The legendary "pizzeria affair"
The record champions' officials were now practically waiting for further escapades from their scandalous professional. And they didn't have to wait much longer before things finally broke. In November 1999, Basler was involved in a pub brawl in Regensburg. The story went down in history as the "pizzeria affair" because Basler later said that a policeman had asked him for tickets for a match during the scuffle. The matter ended up in court - and Mario Basler in Kaiserslautern. At least his advertising partner at the time, a wheat beer brewery, was happy about so much free publicity. After all, they had signed Basler for a reason: "He is the only professional footballer who is credibly believed to drink a beer."
The soccer genius with a penchant for megalomania never wore the DFB jersey again after being kicked out of the national team 25 years ago. Erich Ribbeck, who took this step relentlessly and uncompromisingly at the time, already suspected that there would be no going back. And he regretted that Basler did not bring some of his great abilities to the pitch: "There have always been players who have made too little of their talent." But none of this helped. December 1998 heralded the gradual end of a highly talented footballer.
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After his controversial behavior in the DFB squad, Basler struggled with Bayern Munich as well. Despite his impressive performance against Manchester United in the Champions League, the club decided not to renew his contract due to his dismissal from the national team.
Before being kicked out of the DFB squad, Basler gained notoriety for his "load management" during a Champions League match, which garnered criticism from both the media and Franz Beckenbauer.
Source: www.ntv.de
