Mainz have opted to award unexpected first-team striker Fabio Moreno Fell with a professional contract. The 25-year-old wasn’t on anyone’s radar before the season for a very good reason. Moreno Fell has just joined his Bundesliga team side of the sixth level TSV Gau-Odernheim last summer.
Moreno Fell – born in Spain – played university football in the Palatinate before enjoying a brief trial with the Ingolstadt reserves during the 2019/20 season. After that didn’t work out, Moreno Fell returned to the Palatinate region to play fifth and sixth level football with various clubs for most of his twenties.
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After some eye-catching performances for Mainz reserves this year, Moreno Fell featured in two squads under former Mainz head coach Bo Henriksen before receiving a shock start under interim head coach Benjamin Hoffmann against Borussia Mönchengladbach on matchday 13.
“Football sometimes writes special stories,“Mainz technical director Meikel Schönweitz noted in a statement accompanying the signing.”It’s extraordinary to see a Verbandsliga player at Gau-Odernheim in the spring and then see him playing in the Bundesliga at the end of the year,“
“Fabio has been showing his qualities regularly since the start of the season and, as a down-to-earth guy, he is completely focused on his task,» Schönweitz continued. “We are very happy to see Fabio continue to wear the 05 jersey and to be able to support his development.»
“I can continue to evolve here in optimal conditions and I am very grateful for the trust and experience I have already won with professionals,“, added the player himself. “It allowed me to make a dream come true. Now it’s up to me to stay on this path and continue to work hard.»
