"Crown" stoplight

Nice surprise! The ÖFB stars to attack

A nice surprise, an early Christmas present for the U8 kids from Klosterneuburg. Team boss Ralf Rangnick spoke personally. "Keep training hard! There's no substitute for spending a lot of time with the ball," explained the 66-year-old, "I'd be delighted if one or two of them were playing for us in the national team in seven, eight or ten years' time." A superlative motivational injection for the football-loving boys, coach Florian and little Xavi were on the verge of tears. A charming gesture, which is not a matter of course. When former team boss Marcel Koller was asked for a short video message for children at an appointment years ago, the Swiss refused: "I don't do that sort of thing as a matter of principle!" Rangnick, on the other hand, relies on being close to the people. The public training sessions attract fans from all over Austria, the stars fulfill selfie requests and sign autographs.

The fans are enthusiastic. Because there is rarely the opportunity to experience the idols up close. Heroes like Hans Krankl or Herbert Prohaska used to play week in, week out in the domestic Bundesliga, but now the best players spend most of their careers abroad. This makes it all the more important for the ÖFB to present its stars at home more often in a relaxed atmosphere.