Transfer to Vikings
Under the German radar
He won the European Championship title in American football with the red-white-red national team in 2023. Jan-Phillip Bombek now plays for the Vienna Vikings franchise in the European League. The 27-year-old is a dual German-Austrian citizen. But his football heart clearly beats for only one of the two nations.
German or Austrian? "I play in Vienna! I fought with the boys in the national team for Austria and won the European Championship title!" The answer you get from Jan-Phillip Bombek when you ask about his nationality is clear.
Born in Hamburg with Carinthian roots on his father's side, he has both nationalities and has played for Hamburg and Leipzig in the last three seasons in the European League of Football (ELF).
He moved to the Vienna Vikings for the coming season. "I know a lot of the guys from the national team and asked myself the question, do I want to play football with friends for another year or do I stop? The answer was clear."
Leon Balogh, Luis Horvath, Christoph Kellner - the list of players with whom the 27-year-old has been on the pitch since the junior national team in 2015 is long. Between the European Junior Championship title at the time and the men's title in 2023, Bombek also gained experience in the USA, including two seasons playing for Colorado State in the NCAA college league.
The linebacker is relaxed about why the Vikings are not considered the favorites despite their league-best 24-3 win record in Germany: "The league's focus is on the German market. It will never be said: 'The Viennese are winning everything now'. But we know what we can do, what our expectations are. And that is to be in the Championship Game." This will take place on September 22 in Gelsenkirchen. You can save the date for now.
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