Michael Svoboda

Team newcomer: “The limelight is not my world”

Svoboda (right) is a Serie A starter for Venezia. Michi doesn't hold back against stars like Milan's Hernández either. He is getting married to Ines next summer.

(Bild: AP/AP, Instagram)

Venezia legionnaire Michael Svoboda's dream came true when he was called up to the ÖFB team for the first time. Eight years ago, he was still defending in the sixth division. And he still says: "The limelight is not my world."

"It was crazy, unfortunately I couldn't answer my cell phone because I was training. That's why team boss Ralf Rangnick sent me a voice message. I found out about my good fortune a little later via a roundabout route," laughs Michael Svoboda.

"Hard to describe"
The 25-year-old fulfilled his own biggest dream by being called up for the first time to Austria's senior squad for the upcoming Nations League double-header against Kazakhstan and Norway after a stellar performance for Venezia in Serie A. "The feelings are hard to describe, I want to take a lot of impressions with me and of course celebrate my debut."

In the summer, the Viennese celebrated his second promotion to the Italian top flight.

(Bild: Krone)

However, his path to Rangnick's call-up was rocky and atypical. "I never played in an academy or for the national youth teams. I successfully completed my apprenticeship as an industrial and construction manager, but I didn't have a plan B, I always just wanted to be a footballer!"

Fearless on the pitch
At the age of four, he accompanied his brother Mathias (28) to his training sessions at KSV Ankerbrot in Vienna's 10th district. After a few taster sessions, Michael also started his career there, moving from Rapids U9 to Schwechat, where "Svobi" gained his first experience in the Regionalliga Ost at the age of 17. After complications at the club, he moved to Stadlaus 1b in the Oberliga B (6th division) in 2016. "I had to prove myself again, but that wasn't a problem, I loved the challenge every day."

Coach Erwin Cseh quickly brought him back to the "First" in the Eastern League, Svoboda gained his first real foothold in men's soccer in the third division and earned his starting place. Before training sessions and matches, the blond-haired player, who still had braces at the time, was very reserved in the dressing room, the calm personified. On the pitch, however, he always defended fearlessly, was a leader and often took risks with his solo runs as the last man - always with success.

Mali the dog gives the blonde a lot of strength.

(Bild: Krone)

That didn't escape WSG Tirol's notice either, with Svoboda celebrating promotion to the Bundesliga under coach Thomas Silberberger in 2019, followed by the next milestone in 2020 with his first move abroad to Venezia. In the summer, Svoboda celebrated his second promotion to the Italian top flight. The defensive boss has played 25 games in Serie A so far and was also on board with a few teammates at the Venice Film Festival, where he got to see Hollywood stars such as Brad Pitt.

"A cool experience, but the spotlight is not my world! I enjoy spending time with my family and good friends. My fiancée Ines and dog 'Mali' give me a lot of strength. If there's a lot of time, I turn up the Playstation."