Lars Unnerstall became a professional goalkeeper at FC Schalke 04. He matured in the Netherlands, where experts even wanted him to become a naturalized citizen.
Lars Unnerstall, national team goalkeeper. No, that’s something no one could have imagined when he left FC Schalke 04 in the summer of 2014.
At the time, Unnerstall was 23 years old, had played more games for the reserve team of the Royal Blues than for the professionals, and cost Fortuna Düsseldorf 200,000 euros in transfer fees.
Nine years later, the national team was not entirely out of the blue. However, that of the Netherlands. There, after stints at VVV-Venlo, PSV Eindhoven and, since 2021, Twente Entschede, the now 33-year-old has developed into one of the best keepers in the Eredivisie. “How do you make someone like that Dutch?” wondered Dutch international Marciano Vink last year. Other experts agreed with him.
“I sometimes feel it’s a nice compliment to be associated with the Dutch national team. Every now and then it crosses my mind: with a Dutch passport, I might have been able to play in a World Cup or European Championship,” Unnerstall said in an interview with Voetbal International (via Transfermarkt.de).
But it will not happen: “I’m not eligible to play because I moved back to Germany.” Enschede is less than an hour away from his hometown of Ibbenbüren. Unnerstall only lived in the Netherlands for two years – not long enough.
And the DFB team is not a realistic option anyway, the goalkeeper is aware of that. “I can easily name five goalkeepers above me: Neuer, ter Stegen, Kevin Trapp, Oliver Baumann, Bernd Leno. They’re better than me.”
Former Schalke goalkeeper Unnerstall: Twente instead of Saudi Arabia or the Premier League
Club football is still on the cards for Unnerstall. And that is more than just a consolation. The two-time U20 national team goalkeeper for Germany has found a home at his sixth professional club.
“I would love to stay here for the rest of my career. Seriously. Just get Jan Streuer (management consultant; ed.). If he offers me a contract until I’m 40, I’ll sign it immediately. I’m not restless and want to go somewhere else. If I want to make millions, I shouldn’t stay at Twente. But my salary here is good, life is good, the club is good, the fans are good,” enthuses Unnerstall, who was warmly welcomed by the Schalke fans at a friendly last summer.
He has been between the posts here 96 times since his arrival three years ago – he has played more often for no other club. In addition, Twente are now competing in Europe for the third year in a row after returning to the Dutch top flight in 2019, although they have failed to qualify for the main round of the UEFA Conference League for the second year in a row.
Nevertheless, Unnerstall is happy. And that’s despite the fact that there was no shortage of offers. For example, from Saudi Arabia, but despite a generous salary, he would have been “extremely unhappy” there, according to his own statements. Even from the English Premier League, “but I was already in talks with Twente. I told my agent that I didn’t want to hear about this interest.” Even a return to Gelsenkirchen didn’t tempt him.
Why not? “I’m part of a Twente that is returning to where it belongs, and I feel valued. What more could I ask for?”