Football icon Marek Mintál inspires students at Hersbruck school!

Football icon Marek Mintál inspires students at Hersbruck school!

On June 13, 2025 the time had come: The Johannes-Scharrer-Realschule in Hersbruck became a little brighter when the club legend Marek Mintál visited the school. Known for his impressive 121 games in the Bundesliga, 83 appearances in the second division and 45 international matches for the Slovakian national team, he made the hearts of students beat faster. His career was peppered with successes, including being named top scorer in German professional football three times - a CV that commands respect, but today it was all about personal exchange.

Marek Mintál, who played as a midfielder and occasionally as a striker, brought the students of class 8a with him full of exciting stories. The students were allowed to ask him questions and received honest and authentic answers that not only focused on his sporting career, but also on the challenges and successes that accompanied him in life. This openness was a real benefit for the young people who are in the middle of school and often struggle with their own motivation.

Real contact and motivational conversation

Mintál showed great respect for the students' challenges and encouraged them not to slack off in their academic performance. This down-to-earth attitude and modesty make him a role model - a principle that he maintained even after his active career as a coach, including as assistant coach of the Slovakian national team and later as head coach at SpVgg Bayreuth.

After his impressive speech, the former player was available for autographs and selfies. For over an hour, many students, not just club fans, waited in a long line to secure a souvenir of this special occasion. Another highlight was the exchange of collector's pictures, with which some fans were able to complete their club scrapbook - true fan love!

A look back at football history

In order to better understand what happened to Marek Mintál, it is worth taking a look at the history of football. Modern football developed in early industrial England and has its roots in ancient games such as those played in China in the 3rd century BC. BC practiced Cuju. This tradition shows how deeply rooted football is in the culture of many countries.

The early football associations also did pioneering work, drawing up the first rules and creating the structure of the game that still exists today. The German Football Association was founded in 1900, and the first World Cup took place in Uruguay in 1930. All of these developments are part of the legacy that players like Marek Mintál carry on.

Mintál is not only an example of sporting success, but also of the influence that athletes can have on youth. His visits to schools like the one in Hersbruck show that sporting fame also comes with responsibility - and he mastered it with flying colors.

In a world that often demands quick success, it is important to have role models who impress not only with their achievements, but also with their humanity and humility. Marek Mintál is such a role model – for young and old.