Neo-team player Albek

“My big goal is the Champions League”

Neo national handball player Jozsef Albek (on the ball) has become indispensable for HSG Graz in recent years

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

"It was a great feeling, very emotional, a great honor," beamed Jozsef Albek. The 25-year-old handball player from HSG Graz wore the Austrian team jersey for the first time in an international match at the national team training course last week. He only gained citizenship in the spring, this time replacing injured team-mate Nemanja Belos. "I've got an appetite for more!" 

A 31:28 win against Turkey, a 29:29 win against Switzerland in the European Championship qualifiers for the 2026 European Championship: Jozsef Albek made an impression on his national team debut. "I didn't just want to be there, to be on the squad list. I also wanted to play and help. I think I managed that quite well," grinned the Hungarian-born player, who grew up in a Serbian village near the Hungarian border. 

Albek in the Austrian national team

(Bild: EPA)

Albek once came to Styria as a teenager. "It wasn't so easy at first. I couldn't speak the language and had no friends. But there was handball, which me and my sister always played. That helped."

He has now been wearing the HSG Graz kit for seven years. Club manager Michi Schweighofer always believed in the tall backcourt player and even paid for a legionnaire's place - when this was still the norm in the league. Six months ago, however, the good news arrived (to everyone's delight): Albek - like club colleague Nemanja Belos - was granted Austrian citizenship. He had to thank his former teammate and coach from his early days in Graz, Ales Pajovic, for calling him up to the Austrian national team with a good performance. "Pajo knows me and helps me wherever he can."

Jozsef Albek with Graz club manager Michael Schweighofer and the red-white-red cake after receiving his citizenship.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Albek was delighted with the ÖHB course: "At the beginning I just thought: 'Wow'! Suddenly you're playing with these great players. That was really something special. But after a day or two, the switch flipped and I said to myself: I want to be exactly where they are. I want to achieve what they have already achieved. Players like Niko Bilyk and Lukas Hutecek have helped me tremendously these days. And of course my Graz colleague Lukas Schweighofer, who I also shared a room with in the national team."

Albek has taken a liking to the red-white-red team. "But I also know that I still have a lot to learn, especially when it comes to tactics," says the HSG player, who had a large fan base at home: "My parents watched the international matches on TV. They invited friends over so that they could all watch my games together." Afterwards, the debutant's cell phone was practically overflowing: "There were really many congratulatory messages."

Team players from Styria

HSG Graz:

Lukas Schweighofer

Jozsef Albek

Nemanja Belos

Kilian Schranz (U20)

BT Füchse/men:

Adel Rastoder (Luxembourg, currently injured)

Thomas Nenadic (U20, currently injured)

BT Foxes/Ladies:

Maja Svetik (Slovenia)

HSG Lipizzanerheimat:

Omer Mehmedovic (Bosnia)

Moritz Fall (U20)

Analysis with the Olympic sister
Albek will be analyzing the games in detail over the next few days with his sister Anna, who, like him, once attended the handball academy in Graz-Liebenau: "Anna and I have an incredibly good relationship. We can not only talk at length about handball, but about everything," says the family man. Incidentally, Anna has had a great career from Graz, now plays in the Hungarian national team and took part in the Olympic Games in Paris last summer. A product of hard work.

Of course I dream of an international career. My goal is the Champions League.

Jozsef Albek

Albek also works hard. In addition to handball, he works part-time as a massage therapist. "I'm also catching up on my A-levels now. Later on, I'd like to study to become a physiotherapist," the neo-team player is already making big plans. "But probably only after my handball career." Because the 195-meter giant still has big goals: "Of course I dream of an international career. My big goal is the Champions League."

But that is still a long way off. Albek is now back in the league once again. On Saturday (19), he and his regular club Graz have a home game against Westwien in the HLA.