Matthias Sindelar
Matthias Sindelar (German: [maˈtiːas ˈʃɪndəlaːɐ̯], Czech: Matěj Šindelář; 10 February 1903 – 23 January 1939) was an Austrian professional footballer. Regarded as one of the greatest Austrian players of all time, Sindelar notably played for Austria Vienna and the national side.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Matthias Sindelar | ||
| Birth name | Matěj Šindelář | ||
| Date of birth | 10 February 1903 | ||
| Place of birth | Kozlov, Moravia, Austria-Hungary | ||
| Date of death | 23 January 1939 (aged 35) | ||
| Place of death | Vienna, Germany | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1918–1922 | Hertha Vienna | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1921–1924 | Hertha Vienna | 23 | (4) |
| 1924–1939 | Austria Wien | 312 | (240) |
| International career | |||
| 1926–1937 | Austria | 43 | (26) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He played as a centre-forward for the celebrated Austrian national side of the early 1930s that became known as the Wunderteam, which he captained at the 1934 World Cup. Known as "The Mozart of football" or Der Papierene ("The Paper Man") for his slight build, he was renowned as one of the finest pre-war footballers, known for his fantastic dribbling ability and creativity. He was voted the best Austrian footballer of the 20th Century in a 1999 poll by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) and was named Austria's sportsman of the century a year before.
With the Wunderteam, Sindelar was one of the key elements of their developing formation and style of play as it evolved into a 2-3-5. According to specialists like Paul Dietschy, this formation provided "such fluidity to the Austrian system", leading to its earning the nickname of "the Viennese whirlpool". Although the Wunderteam regularly lacked efficiency, Sindelar's individual technical skill and vision often compensated for these issues.