Mother's home country
This Steyr player kicks for Caribbean island at the Olympics
The Austrian soccer team has not qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris. And yet an 18-year-old talent from Steyr will be playing on the big soccer stage there! Not for Austria, however, but for his mother's home country.
72 years ago, the Austrian national soccer team qualified for the Olympic Games in Helsinki. Their appearance in 1952, in which they were defeated 3:1 by Sweden in the quarter-finals, was the last time an Austrian team had ever competed. As a result, they will only be onlookers at the games in Paris. And yet one Austrian player will be in the thick of it instead of just being there:
Thomas Jungbauer!
The youngster, who grew up in Steyr, will be playing for the Dominican Republic, his mother's home country! "It's a great honor and the highlight of my career so far," says the 18-year-old, who plays for the Czech club Dynamo Budweis.
Nominated for the Olympics via livestream
And until a few days ago, he was still trembling about his "ticket" for the group matches against Egypt, Uzbekistan and Spain. "As I'm still the youngest, I was hesitant. But when I was nominated by the coach via livestream, I was delighted. I have a lot of confidence in us, we have a very strong squad," says the dual national.
who is keeping fit with his parents in Steyr before his departure on July 6. "I'm delighted for him, he's worked hard for it," says advisor Michael Schimpelsberger, who is proud of his protégé, whose career began in Haidershofen and has now culminated in his first participation in the Olympics after spells in the LASK youth team, Italy and the Czech Republic.
"I wouldn't say no to the ÖFB"
The central defender, who could continue to play for the ÖFB and has already turned down a senior international cap for the Caribbean island, will slowly have to decide on a nation after the highlight in Paris. "If the ÖFB comes knocking, I won't say no. But there's no contact, I'm fully focused on the Olympics first!" says Jungbauer, who wants to use the stage in Paris to his advantage.
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