He spent six years at MSV Duisburg and, at the age of 16, was regularly allowed to train with the second division professionals at the time. We are talking about Marius Delker.

A tall goalkeeper at 1.89 meters with strong reflexes, Marius Delker had what it takes to make it in professional soccer. From 2007 to 2013, the Essen native played in the youth team of MSV Duisburg. In the end, however, he did not get a professional contract.

Marius Delker, who is now 30 years old and plays for Oberliga club Sportfreunde Hamborn 07, became a human resources officer at the Bertelsmann Group instead of a professional soccer player.

“I take care of all aspects of employee support at the Bertelsmann Group. I am the point of contact for employees from the moment they join the company until they leave. My responsibilities also include many strategic tasks. I find my job fulfilling and enjoy going to work every day. Even when there are unpleasant conversations, such as those about termination. Unfortunately, every department and every company has people who end up being the scapegoats. That’s part of the job and part of life,” says Delker.

Delker studied economics at the Ruhr University in Bochum for five and a half years. He successfully completed his bachelor’s and then his master’s degree.

It was a great time working with guys like Tom Starke, who later went to Bayern Munich and probably became one of the most successful substitute goalkeepers in the world. Unfortunately, in the end, he only made it to the MSV’s U23 regional league team at the time.

Marius Delker

Partly because he has established himself very well in his professional life, he is not one of those football talents who regret not pursuing a professional career. Even though Delker undoubtedly had what it takes to make it to the top.

“I was allowed to train with the pros when I was 15 and 16. Milan Sasic was the coach of MSV at the time. The goalkeeper coach at the time, Manfred Gloger, thought highly of me and kept inviting me up to train with the first team. It was a great time working with guys like Tom Starke, who later went to Bayern and probably became one of the most successful substitute goalkeepers in the world. Unfortunately, in the end, I only made it to the MSV’s U23 regional league team at the time. And I was also allowed to play a test match for the pros,” recalls Delker.

After six years, he left MSV in the summer of 2013 to join FC Kray. ”Even before that, I knew that I wouldn’t make it to the top. At the time, I had a well-known advisor, Michael Ruhnau, who still looks after Leipzig’s Kevin Kampl today. I could have moved from Duisburg to the U23 team of Spielvereinigung Greuther Fürth. But I never wanted to trawl around Germany and earn a few thousand euros, only to find myself at 35 with no career. I was brought up very differently. My motto was: either I make it as a real professional or I concentrate on my studies and my career. After Duisburg, I decided on the second option and I don’t regret it at all. I’m also completely at peace with my sporting career,” says the goalkeeper, who has played almost 200 times in the Oberliga.