He suffered for years

Cult goalkeeper Michael Konsel operated on for his birthday

Michael Konsel leaving the clinic with his doctor Michael Gabel. The ex-team goalkeeper presented him with one of his "Konsel mugs" out of gratitude.(Bild: Privat)

For years, team goalkeeping legend Michael Konsel suffered from severe pain in his back. "That was probably because of all my saves in goal," he can now smile again. Just in time for his birthday, however, the world looked very different. After all, he had to undergo a serious operation.

"I'm not an anxious person, but I was a bit scared of this operation because it was a major procedure," soccer team goalkeeping legend Michael Konsel tells us. The former top athlete underwent a lumbar spine operation at the Kettenbrücke Sanatorium in Innsbruck.

The end of a martyrdom
"I was in pain for years - I probably have all my goalkeeping saves to thank for that," he can now smile a little again. On his birthday - he turned 63 on March 6 - the operation took place under the supervision of a top doctor. His name is also Michael, Doctor Michael Gabel. He helped the other Michael, Konsel, to what was probably the best birthday present, because everything went according to plan.

Michael Konsel's X-ray after the successful lumbar spine operation in Innsbruck.(Bild: Privat)

A "Dancing Stars" appearance, as he once did in 2007, may not be possible for the next few months, but on Monday he was at least allowed to leave the clinic for his home in Lower Austria.