They had returned to Singapore after beating Johor Darul Takzim 6-1 in a friendly the day before but Friday was also a busy day off the pitch for some of the players of German side Borussia Dortmund.
Front-man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, defender Neven Subotic and club icon Lars Ricken showed up at Goal@313 by Weston Corporation to meet fans, many of whom were dressed in yellow and black.
Aubameyang was especially in demand for photos,selfies and autographs.
"I was quite excited to hear Aubameyang was coming. He is one of the fastest players in the world,"said 13-year-old Sheldon Koh.
The Gabon international striker also displayed quick reflexes when he, together with Subotic and Ricken, caught a fan who fainted, perhaps overwhelmed by the occasion.
The fan was given medical attention.
"We waited here since noon," Christine,a German mother of two, said.
"One of our friends flew in from Germany just to see them! We are fans of four years ever since we went to their stadium. It gave us goosebumps to sing with the team. And we used to live near Dortmund."
The Bundesliga side also paraded new additions Gonzalo Castro and Roman Burki, as well as club legend Karl-Heinz Riedle, at an event at Nanyang Polytechnic.
The trio took part in a question-and-answer session with a 300-strong crowd and were given a durian treat.
"It smells like a pineapple," said Riedle before sampling the fruit.
"But it tastes like a creamy cheese from Germany."
The trio later participated in a penalty shoot-out with footballers from Nanyang Polytechnic before signing autographs for fans.
Business management student Augustine Wong, 19, who was the first in line to get the Dortmund players to sign on his shirt, said: "It is such a privilege to meet them in person and I am very excited after getting their autographs."
Rachel Tan, 18, a year two student from the Sports and Wellness course, added: "They looked so different from the screen; in person, they're so tall and changed the ambience with their presence. It's a big moment for me."
