Nick Woltemade becomes Walter Grass, the Juventus forward sent off by Alvaro Vitali in his role as referee
Nick Woltemade? Not a chance. From now on, call him Walter Grass. At least according to the creator of a funny sticker who decided to rename the German center forward after one of the most unlikely and unforgettable soccer players in the history of Italian cinema. The reference is to “Il tifoso, l’arbitro e il calciatore” (The Fan, the Referee, and the Player), a 1982 comedy directed by Pier Francesco Pingitore, in which Walter Grass, played by Marco Gelardini, is a left winger for Juventus. A player who could have enjoyed a quiet career, had he not crossed paths with referee Alvaro Presutti, played by a wild Alvaro Vitali.
The story is a small masterpiece of misunderstandings. Through a scheme orchestrated by Sposito—played by Enzo Cannavale—Presutti is convinced that his wife Manuela, portrayed (and more) by Carmen Russo, is cheating on him with the Juventus player. From that moment on, life on the field becomes a living hell for Walter Grass.
In the famous match between Juventus and Fiorentina, referee Presutti disallows no fewer than four of his goals. Four! Something that today would drive even the VAR crazy—it would probably be forced to seek the help of a psychologist. Poor Grass can score any way he wants, but the result doesn’t change: the referee always finds a way to disallow the goal. And the situation escalates until the memorable showdown in the locker room, amid misunderstandings, accusations, and surreal comedy.
More than forty years later, someone saw fit to dig up that name and pin it on Nick Woltemade. The result is a trading card that looks like it came straight out of a 1982 soccer card album. The comparison is irresistible. Woltemade is German; Walter Grass in the film is a Juventus player with a Germanic name. Just swap the name on the card, and there you have it. For fans of old Italian comedies, the connection is immediate. Of course, the real Woltemade might not know about his illustrious cinematic predecessor. And it would be interesting to explain to him that in Italy he’s been linked to a player capable of scoring four goals against Fiorentina without having a single one credited to him.
