Testicular cancer diagnosis for ÖFB team goalie Heinz Lindner

Am 16. April stand Heinz Lindner last in goal of FC Sion. Since then, the 32-year-old has been out of action with a broken metacarpal. However, there is another reason why a return to the football field is out of the question at the moment. As the Upper Austrian announced on Tuesday via Instagram, he received a shock diagnosis a few weeks ago.

“Recently a tumor was discovered in my left testicle. (…) Thank God the malignant tumor was recognized in time and hadn’t spread yet. I’ve decided to deal openly and honestly with my illness,” writes Lindner .

The goalkeeper’s illness is reminiscent of that of his former Austria colleague Philip Hosiner. The two became champions together in 2013. Less than two years later, in January 2015, during a fitness check at Hosiner 1. FC Cologne discovered a kidney tumor. This one was already two kilos heavy and just as vicious.

As with Lindner, however, the tumor had not spread and could be removed cleanly. The striker, who now plays for Kickers Offenbach in Germany’s Regionalliga Südwest, returned to the pitch eleven weeks after his operation. Heinz Lindner has nothing else in mind.

The number one

Born in Linz, he has been playing for FC Sion since the summer of 2022, which is currently in last place in the Swiss table Super League can be found. In the ÖFB team the veteran with 36 international matches under his belt was last under team boss Ralph Rangnick through and set as number one.

Rangnick now has to find a new number one for the two European Championship qualifiers in June against Belgium (June 17) and Sweden (June 20). Team manager Ralf Rangnick says: “I am very relieved that the operation went well and I wish Heinz all the best for his continued recovery. I am firmly convinced that he will soon be his old self again and I look forward to when he is in the Autumn can return to the circle of the national team.”