Mario Basler:

'Today, the players always say the same things' By Rune Gjerulff

Former Bayern München player Mario Basler has blasted today's football industry.

Mario Basler. Photo: © Superbass / CC-BY-SA-4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

During his career, Mario Basler became well known as an entertainer.





On the pitch, the former Bayern München winger enchanted fans with his speedy dribbling, precise crossing and hard-hitting finishes.



Meanwhile, Basler always spoke his mind, enjoyed pulling pranks on his colleagues and never held back when it came to celebrating a win in style.



Since Basler retired in 2004, the football world has changed in many ways, and according to the ex-Germany international, who turns 50 years old today, there is no room for characters like him today.



"Today, the players always say the same things. No one grouses and complains, and saying something about your teammates is frowned upon," Basler said in an interview with Kicker and went on:



"Football is fully controlled by commercial interests. Jokes on the pitch are no longer desirable."





Just recently, Basler claimed that he would be worth €150 million if he played today.



During his career, Basler played for clubs such as Hertha BSC, Werder Bremen and Bayern München. He made 30 appearances for the German national team and was part of the team that won the European Championship in 1996.





