District league team TSV Bassum III can look forward to prominent support in the derby against SC Twistringen IV. Ailton will play for the team from Lower Saxony.

His name is probably familiar to every football fan in Germany. We are talking about Aílton Gonçalves da Silva, or Ailton for short. The centre forward played a total of 219 Bundesliga games for SV Werder Bremen, Schalke 04, Hamburger SV and MSV Duisburg during his playing days, scoring 106 goals.

At the end of 2013, the “Kugelblitz”, as the striker was known, ended his active career. Werder Bremen staged a farewell match at the Weserstadion on 6 September 2014, which was sold out with 40,000 spectators.

Since then, the Brazilian has appeared in various German TV formats – whether on “Ich bin ein Star – Holt mich hier raus!” or “Let’s Dance”. Although his career has been over for almost ten years, the now 49-year-old will indeed lace up his football boots again and make his comeback for TSV Bassum III in the 3rd Kreisklasse Diepholz. The derby against SC Twistringen IV is scheduled for 30 April at 3 pm.

TSV Bassum III are in last place in the table with three points from 15 games and can certainly use the support of the former Bundesliga star. First of all, it is planned that Ailton will only play in the derby. Whether further games will follow is still unclear.

Ailton was desperate to play another competitive match, whether in the Bundesliga or in the 3rd division. Ailton is one of the most dazzling Bundesliga strikers of all time and an absolute legend, especially here in the region.

Dennis Hammer.

Dennis Hammer, responsible representative of the district league club, spoke about the 49-year-old’s comeback in an interview with Fussball.de: “The contact came about through our player Oliver Launer. Ailton really wanted to play another competitive match, whether in the Bundesliga or in the 3rd Kreisklasse. Ailton is one of the most dazzling Bundesliga strikers of all time and an absolute legend, especially here in the region. We want to spend a nice football afternoon here at TSV. There will be children running in, otherwise there will be drinks and bratwursts as usual. Ailton has promised us goals, goals, goals. That’s what we’re hoping for, of course.”

In 2004, the centre-forward became the first foreigner to be voted Germany’s Footballer of the Year after leading Werder Bremen to the double with 34 goals in 39 games and becoming the Bundesliga’s top scorer with 28 goals in the season.

After this success, he moved to Gelsenkirchen to FC Schalke 04, but despite scoring 20 goals in one season, he left the club after only one year. He was runner-up with the Knappen, reached the DFB Cup final and won the UI Cup.