My game for my country!

Nicolas Seiwald (23) learned how to play football in his parents' backyard. Just a year after, he joined the local football club where he played until turning eight. At that point he became part of the Red Bull Salzburg Talent Academy.

After 22 years living in his native Austria, it was time for him to move to Germany with RB Leipzig. His family's support is something he has been able to count on, having a particularly close relationship with his older brother, Raphael, who is persuing a career as an electronic DJ.

In this video Nicolas Seiwald discusses his career and offers insight into the Euros in Germany with his Austrian National Team.

Which philosophy, which style of play are you pursuing with Austria and the National Team?

"Ralf Rangnick is pretty clear about his plan and I believe we have the right type of player to implement it: Pressing, work off the ball, fast transitions, attacking football. Everything combines quite well: The coaching staff and the players. That's why things are going so well.“

What's it like for you to play the Euro 2024 in Germany?

"Since Germany is a neighboring country and a huge amount of our players play there, it's almost like playing the tournament back home (laughs). We're really happy about it.“

What could Austria offer that would surprise others?

"I think the way we play off the ball. Even if the other teams already know that. To experience in person is a totally different thing. I think that we can catch France, the Netherlands, and Poland flat-footed if we have a good start to the match.

That was key for us in our last games, to have a strong start in matches. We scored the 1-0 after just six seconds against Slovakia. It took us two minutes to score against Turkey.“

Are there any players you look up tp? You're still 23 years old.

„Nigel De Jong was always a footballing role model for me, because he plays in my position. But I'd also say Kevin de Bruyne, even if he's more attacking-minded. He plays simple yet good football. You can watch plenty of it.“