born in moers, west germany, paßlack began his career as a youth player at local football club tv asberg before eventually moving on to vfb homberg where he played until 1986. he then went on to play for many more german clubs including 1. fc köln, eintracht frankfurt and kfc uerdingen 05 before gaining his first international cap in 1996 against armenia while he was playing for borussia mönchengladbach. after staying with mönchengladbach for three years, he left to play for 1860 munich and then to 1. fc nürnberg before finally ending his career in 2006 back with his old club kfc uerdingen.