Dennis Schroder makes professional soccer debut for German club in sixth division

Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder chose a unique route for his offseason training — playing professional soccer.

Schroder, born in Braunschweig, Germany, appeared in a match for FC Germania Bleckenstedt, a club in Germany’s sixth division, Landesliga Braunschweig, on Wednesday.

Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schröder made his pro football debut in Germany’s sixth-tier division for FC Germania Bleckenstedt…

The versatility 🤯

(via @FIBA) pic.twitter.com/DX1CDvpu2D

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 31, 2024

The guard played 63 minutes as a left winger in a 5-1 loss to 1. SC Göttingen 05, according to Transfermarkt. Göttingen has the second-most points in the division with 72, while Bleckenstedt currently sits sixth in the table with 53 points.

Schroder played soccer growing up before switching to basketball at age 11, according to NBA.com.

He posted about the game on Instagram, writing that it wasn’t the result he wanted.

Schroder’s next opportunity to appear on the pitch will come on Sunday when Bleckenstedt faces VfL Wahrenholz.

Schroder averaged 14 points, 6.1 assists and 3.0 rebounds last season with the Nets and Toronto Raptors. Brooklyn acquired the 30-year-old and Thaddeus Young from Toronto at the trade deadline in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie.