And that’s for his 30th

Welcome to the club! Didi Kühbauer is the tenth

Didi Kühbauer is the tenth member to join this very exclusive circle.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/GEPA pictures)

Just as he wore the number 10 on his jersey for many years as a player, Didi Kühbauer is now also number ten in a very special, elite circle: As of today, the LASK head coach is the tenth man in Bundesliga history (since 1974) to win the championship both as a player and as a coach. And that, of all times, on the “30th.”

Yes, it has been almost exactly 30 years since Didi Kühbauer first lifted the championship trophy toward the sky. On June 1, 1996, Rapid, with playmaker—and number ten—Didi Kühbauer, won 2-0 against Sturm Graz in a memorable “final” on the pitch of the seething Happel Stadium. For Kühbauer, it was the crowning achievement of his career at that time.

June 1, 1996: Didi Kühbauer (left) celebrates Rapid’s championship title with his teammate Maciej Sliwowski.(Bild: GEPA)

To mark his 30th birthday, “Don Didi” gave himself an anniversary gift by also winning the title as head coach of LASK—a feat that only nine highly prominent figures had previously achieved in Bundesliga history.

Thomas Parits
Champion as a player: (FK Austria Vienna – 1968/69, 1969/70) From the Bundesliga: 1977/78, 1978/79
Champion as a coach: FK Austria Vienna – 1984/85

Thomas Parits (second row, second from left), coach of the 1986 championship team: Austria Vienna(Bild: APA-Images / APA-Archiv / Robert Jäger)

Herbert Prohaska
Champion as a player: FK Austria Vienna – 1975/76, 1977/78, 1978/79, 1979/80, 1983/84, 1984/85, 1985/86
Champion as a coach: FK Austria Vienna – 1990/91, 1991/92

Herbert Prohaska, championship-winning coach of Austria Vienna in 1992(Bild: APA-Images / brandstaetter images / Votava)

Heribert Weber
Championship titles as a player: SK Rapid Vienna – 1981/82, 1982/83, 1986/87, 1987/88, Austria Salzburg – 1994
Champion as a coach: SV Austria Salzburg – 1996/97

Herbert Weber lifted the championship trophy as Salzburg’s coach in 1997.(Bild: GEPA)

Walter Schachner
Champion as a player: FK Austria Vienna – 1978/79, 1979/80, 1980/81
Champion as coach: Grazer AK – 2003/04

Summer 2004: GAK coach Walter Schachner lifts the championship trophy.(Bild: GEPA)

Josef Hickersberger
Champion as a player: (FK Austria Vienna – 1968/69, 1969/70) First Bundesliga title: SK Rapid Vienna – 1981/82
Champion as coach: SK Rapid Vienna – 2004/05

Josef Hickersberger brought home the championship trophy for Grün-Weiß in 2005.(Bild: GEPA)

Peter Pacult
Champion as a player: FC Swarovski Tirol – 1988/89, 1989/90
Champion as coach: SK Rapid Vienna – 2007/08

Peter Pacult, Rapid’s championship-winning coach in 2008(Bild: APA/Herbert Pfarrhofer)

Franco Foda
Champion as a player: Sturm Graz – 1997/98, 1998/99
Champion as a coach: SK Sturm Graz – 2010/11

Franco Foda won the championship trophy as Sturm’s head coach in 2011, but lost his head of hair in the process (to his players’ razors).(Bild: GEPA)

Peter Stöger
Champion as a player: FK Austria Vienna – 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93; SK Rapid Vienna – 1995/96
Champion as a coach: FK Austria Vienna – 2012/13

Peter Stöger led Austria Vienna to the championship in 2013 as head coach.(Bild: GEPA)

Adi Hütter
Champion as a player: SV Salzburg – 1993/94, 1994/95, 1996/97
Champion as coach: Red Bull Salzburg – 2014/15

Adi Hütter led Salzburg to the championship as a coach in 2015.(Bild: GEPA)

As of today, the number of club members has reached double digits. Thanks to Didi Kühbauer.