No, by 2027 Makoto Hasebe will no longer wear the Frankfurt Eintracht jersey, at most a tracksuit or a club jacket.

The eternal Japanese would then be 43 years old when his contract, which was newly concluded on Friday, expired.

At that age, only one professional footballer still played Bundesliga games, that was Klaus Fichtel, who last played for Werder Bremen in 1988.

It was his 552nd Bundesliga game.

By the way, Fichtel still plays occasionally in the traditional team of FC Schalke 04 at the age of 71.

Peter Hess

sports editor.

  • Follow I follow

Hasebe could play his 354th Bundesliga game against 1. FC Köln this Saturday (6.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky), so he will no longer be able to attack Fichtel or even record player Karl-Heinz Körbel (602).

But it is not yet certain that his playing career will end as planned in May 2023.

That was already planned for May 2020 and May 2021.

But the Japanese surprised himself and Eintracht with consistently good performances, so that a year was added to each one.

Makoto Hasebe is a phenomenon.

In his home country, the long-standing national team captain is revered as the "Emperor", valued as an author and widely recognized as a football ambassador in society.

Eintracht also recognized the depth of his personality and bound him to himself through his career as a player.

He is already a brand ambassador with a focus on Asia, and in the summer of 2023 he should be included in the coaching staff of the licensed squad.

The exact area of ​​responsibility has not yet been determined.

Hasebe's personal timetable for the coaching career is not yet clear, when he will start which license is open.

Already this season, however, the head of defense took part in the "Players Pathway", the pilot project of the German Football Association, which serves as career orientation for players who have recently ended their active career or intend to do so.

"Incredible, but I'm in a really good mood"

Eintracht sports director Markus Krösche gave the Asian flowers to extend his contract: "Makoto Hasebe is a player that every professional club could only wish for.

Despite his age, his skills on the pitch meet the high standards of the Bundesliga.

As a personality, he is an important factor, especially for young players.” Hasebe is a strategist and a calming influence in the team and has an impeccable personality.

"It is important to us that Makoto remains as a role model, important contact and identification figure in the long term and that we can offer him the opportunity to gain initial experience in a professional coaching staff," says Krösche.

When Hasebe joined Eintracht in 2014, he had just been relegated to 1. FC Nürnberg.

In his first season under coach Thomas Schaaf, the Japanese immediately became a key figure in the game.

When Armin Veh became coach, defensive midfielder Hasebe had to help out more often in unfamiliar positions than more attacking midfielders or right-backs.

Even with Adi Hütter, he initially had no permanent place in the team.

But sooner or later Hasebe convinced each of his coaches - in every position.

Whereby he found his true destiny as the middle man in the three-man defense chain under coach Hütter.

He interpreted the role as a kind of libero and was also extremely important for the build-up of the game.

Hasebe flirted with his age from time to time.

He can no longer afford the more intense game in defensive midfield, he needs the more comfortable position.

But this autumn the old Japanese proved that he is still good enough as a "six".

Which probably surprised him a bit.

"It's unbelievable, but I'm in a really good mood, I'd like to continue playing," Hasebe said last January. In February, Eintracht fulfilled his wish and even more.

"Frankfurt has become my home for me in recent years, Eintracht my club," says Hasebe.

“We have achieved and experienced a lot together over the past eight years and I am delighted that the journey is continuing.” He is very grateful that Eintracht has given him the opportunity to take his first steps as a coach at a high level .

The common future of Eintracht and Hasebe is set to go for decades.

And maybe the Japanese still plays like Fichtel at 71 in the traditional team.