Eintracht Frankfurt has extended Makoto Hasebe’s contract until mid-2024. This could make the 39-year-old the oldest eagle bearer.
Makoto Hasebe has been wearing the Eintracht Frankfurt jersey since 2014. It has been clear since Tuesday morning: He will do it at least until June 30, 2024. The Japanese extended his professional contract with Hessen by another year, and he also has a follow-up contract until 2027.
“I’m very happy that I can play football at the highest level with Eintracht for another year,” said the defender after the contract extension, adding: “It’s special to be part of such a big and successful club at the age of 40 to be of the team.”
Hasebe could become the oldest Eintracht professional
A look at the list of the oldest players in Frankfurt’s history shows that this is really something very special. At the age of 39, Hasebe is currently in third place. Only Ulrich Stein (39 years, 5 months and 17 days) and Rudi Bommer (39 years, 7 months and 17 days) are in front of him.
So that means: If Hasebe completely fulfills his new contract year, he will be the oldest Eintracht professional of all time in the Bundesliga. In addition, the Japanese can already look back on a successful career with the Hessians: in 2018 he won the DFB Cup with Eintracht and last year the Europa League.
Krösche: “He’s an asset to our game”
With the contract extension, Eintracht also sent a positive signal, after things didn’t go well in sport recently. “With his attitude, his discipline and his footballing quality, he is not only an absolute role model in our team, but also an enrichment for our game,” sports director Markus Krösche ennobled his defender and made it clear: “Makoto is the only professional , who can decide for himself whether to extend his contract.”
Hasebe is unlikely to have made the decision to extend the contract all by himself: at the beginning of March he said: “I still have to have one last conversation with my family – soon”. With a laugh, he continued, “If my little daughter says ‘no’, I’ll have to think again.” Apparently, the three-year-old didn’t mind.