Round birthday
World-class libero “Sali” Feiersinger is 60
Hard to believe, but true: Austria's former world-class libero Wolfgang "Sali" Feiersinger celebrates his 60th birthday today, Thursday. The former world-class defender is now completely healthy again after the shock of a collapse and subsequent danger to his life in December 2013. The best present for the birthday boy.
At the memorial tournament for Bruno Pezzey, who died far too young, Feiersinger collapsed in Reutte and was taken to hospital with heart problems. It was only after a night in intensive care in Innsbruck that the all-clear was given.
"It was so unexpected that I had to deal with it mentally for a year. My basic trust in my body suffered extremely and wasn't back to 100% straight away," says the 46-time ÖFB team player about the arrhythmia caused by an enlarged atrium in his heart, which had been scarred by years of top-class sport.
"I had really massive problems in the weeks after the collapse. During that time, I didn't even really dare to go outside," Feiersinger looks back. "But after that, thank goodness I was even back on the road on ski tours.
Escape from the public eye
It was the dramatic incident that brought the former exceptional kicker back into the headlines. In the years before, he had almost fled the public eye. "I was glad that the professional soccer part of my life was behind me. It meant I could move around relatively anonymously," Feiersinger analyzed in one of his rare interviews.
In 2009, he and his partner took over the Hochwildalm hut in Aurach near Kitzbühel, he entertained his guests and was happy about his new life away from the former hustle and bustle of the million-dollar business. The work on the alpine pasture is "associated with incredible idealism", said Feiersinger, and he meant it.
No surprise really: his active career had already been characterized by the fact that it had simply taken a different course. Born on January 30, 1965, Wolfgang Feiersinger was soon able to do things with the ball on his foot that were only seen on television in Pinzgau.
The trained gendarme caught the eye at 1. Saalfeldner SK with his ingenuity on the pitch and Salzburg Austria brought the talent to the provincial capital in 1986. But the Violets were in the second tier at the time. The everyday championship routine at the Lehen stadium included guest appearances from DSV Alpine, St. Veit, Union Vöcklamarkt, Spittal/Drau, IG Bregenz/Dornbirn, Flavia Solva and Kremser SC.
Feiersinger nevertheless achieved something historic, becoming the first player from the 2nd Division to win the Goal of the Month award with a super goal against Mödling in November 1986. Back then, he was still whirling around in midfield with his long hair: one of his trademarks.
Soccer fairytale
It took a real soccer fairy tale for the Salzburg Violets to make their comeback in the Bundesliga in 1989: Hans Krankl came, saw and scored. Instead of the bottom play-off, the team made it to the middle play-off at the last minute, thus preserving the chance of promotion. The fans stormed Lehen, more than 17,000 came against Sturm Graz and created an unbelievable atmosphere in Austria at the time.
Krankl left and became Rapid coach. Feiersinger stayed on and celebrated his top flight debut on July 21, 1989 in a goalless draw at home against GAK. Soon, team boss Josef Hickersberger, who came under heavy criticism after the 1990 World Cup in Italy, could no longer do without the "Sali" from Salzburg. On August 21, 1990, Feiersinger made his first appearance for the national team against Switzerland in the Vienna Prater. After the 3:1 defeat against the Swiss, however, the thumbs went down.
"He can play on either the left or right side of midfield," said Hickersberger before the game, praising Feiersinger's versatility. However, he then deployed him as a left-back and was not satisfied with his performance in the unfamiliar position.
The team manager era of "Hicke" came to an end one game later (without Feiersinger, who was spared this humiliation) after the 1-0 defeat against the Faroe Islands in Landskrona. However, the midfield all-rounder's star finally rose in Salzburg under coach Otto Barić, who arrived in 1991.
In the 1993/94 UEFA Cup, Salzburg reached the final via Dunajska Streda, Royal Antwerp, Sporting Lisbon, Eintracht Frankfurt and Karlsruher SC, where the dream of a European Cup triumph was only shattered against Inter after two unfortunate defeats.
Wolfgang Feiersinger's cool-headedness and technical prowess were particularly evident when he scored the winning goal in the second leg of the second round in Antwerp, where he calmly beat the opposing keeper and a defender in front of goal before calmly shooting home.
Transfer to Dortmund
The 1994 and 1995 championship titles and participation in the 1994/95 Champions League were also won by the then successful Violet team before Feiersinger was given the opportunity of a lifetime in August 1996. The 31-year-old had caught the eye of Borussia Dortmund with his brilliant performances in the European Cup and was signed by the German champions.
BVB were reacting to the injury to their super-libero Matthias Sammer (European Champion with Germany in 1996 and later European Footballer of the Year) and Feiersinger seized his chance. In the 1996/97 Champions League, Austria's team player shone with an outstanding performance, especially in the semi-final against Manchester United.
However, when Sammer was fit again just before the final against Juventus, Feiersinger experienced the bitterest hour of his career. Ottmar Hitzfeld only sat him in the stands at the "Final dahoam" in Munich, not far from his Salzburg home. "Humanity fell by the wayside," was how the Dortmund coach would later describe it.
"I'll never forget that, it was absolutely unfair and devastating," said the onlooker, who was booted out at the time, almost 18 years later. Winning the World Cup was little consolation. Hitzfeld's successor Nevio Scala, on the other hand, held him in high regard, with the Italian ennobling him with the words: "Only God is perfect, but Feiersinger is perfect as a player."
Prudent and strong defender
This class was also evident in the Austrian national team. Feiersinger was part of the team that won the group and secured a ticket to the 1998 World Cup in France. To this day, this is still the last sporting qualification that the ÖFB team has achieved. In front of keeper Michael Konsel, who was in brilliant form at the time, "Sali" Feiersinger shone as a prudent and strong defensive leader. The rest was done by the "Abbruch GesmbH" Peter Schöttel/Toni Pfeffer. In the games against Cameroon, Chile (1:1 in each case) and Italy (1:2), this defense was fully convincing, but unfortunately the offense fell far short of expectations despite the big names.
Feiersinger therefore looks back on the World Cup with little satisfaction, despite his personally strong performances: "We should have been braver there. With the class we had back then, we should have progressed."
With the class we had back then, we should have progressed.
Wolfgang Feiersinger
On April 28, 1999, Feiersinger played the last of his 46th international matches in a 7-0 win over San Marino in the European Championship qualifiers. The ÖFB international stayed in Dortmund until the summer of 2000, before ending his active career at LASK, back at Austria Salzburg and at PSV/SW Salzburg (ex-Gendarme Feiersinger played for the Schwarz Weiß police sports club).
Daughter also successful in sport
From 2006 to 2008, the former world-class player worked as an U17 coach at the Bundesnachwuchszentrum Salzburg and passed on his experience to the young players. His daughter Laura is a long-standing Austrian national women's player and made a big impression with the national team in their sensational semi-final appearance (where they were only knocked out on penalties) at the 2017 European Championships in the Netherlands.
"I recognize myself in my daughter with her running and commitment to the game," says the proud dad Feiersinger. He follows Laura's games with enthusiasm and pride, as she left USK Hof for Germany at the age of 17 to become a professional footballer. After playing for Herforder SV, FC Bayern, SC Sand, Eintracht Frankurt and AS Roma, Feiersinger has been playing for 1. FC Köln since the summer of 2024.
At the time, Laura's mother even rented a house near the ÖFB headquarters during the European Championship in the Netherlands and watched her daughter's matches live in the stadium. Father Wolfgang confined himself to his role away from the public eye. That's where he feels most comfortable.
This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here.
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