With dad's genes

Hedl: “Nobody else was as crazy as us”

Niki Hedl earned himself a place in the EURO squad.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Niklas Hedl has been Rapids' number one for two and a half years, and now the 23-year-old goalkeeper is waiting for his first EURO with Austria. He is finally stepping out of the shadow of his father Raimund. In the most thankless position in soccer. But the junior chose it himself ...

"Because of my job, he was always with me, he couldn't do anything else," says Raimund Hedl, unintentionally sharing the blame for his eldest son's career. Hedl senior donned the gloves for Rapid for 17 seasons - with a four-year break - before becoming goalkeeping coach.