Famous Austrian Sportspersons

Austrian Formula One driver and aviation entrepreneur Niki Lauda was a three-time F1 World Drivers' Champion. Considered to be one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time, he was once involved in a near-fatal accident. He founded and ran three airlines as an aviation entrepreneur and also served as the team manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team.

The second-highest ranked Austrian tennis player of all time, Dominic Thiem became the first Austrian to win the singles title at a US Open when he came back from two sets down to beat Alexander Zverev in the 2020 US Open final. At the 2019 BNP Paribas Open, he defeated Roger Federer to win his first Masters 1000 title.

David Alaba is an Austrian football player who currently plays for the Real Madrid Club de Fútbol and the Austria national football team. Best known for his versatility, Alaba can play as a midfielder and defender. Counted among the greatest defenders of his generation, David Alaba is a two-time Austrian Sports Personality of the Year recipient.  

Though born in Germany, racer Jochen Rindt competed for Austria throughout his illustrious career, which saw him score 6 Grand Prix wins. At 28, he was killed in a practice race for the Italian Grand Prix. He later became the only racer to be posthumously named the F-1 World Champion.

Josef Bican was an Austrian-Czech footballer who played as a forward. According to Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation, Bican scored more than 950 goals in 624 official matches, which makes him the second-most prolific goalscorer of all time in recorded history. In 2000, Josef Bican was honored with the Golden Ball by the IFFHS. 

Austrian Formula One racing driver Roland Ratzenberger was in his teens when he first showed an interest in racing. He was killed while qualifying for the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, while uncannily, Brazilian world champion racer Ayrton Senna died during the race the next day.

Gerhard Berger is an Austrian retired Formula One racing driver who competed in 14 Formula One seasons, finishing twice as the third overall in the championship. Berger won ten Grands Prix during his illustrious career that spanned more than a decade. With 210 starts under his belt, Gerhard Berger is counted among the most experienced F1 drivers of all time.

The son of an amateur goalkeeper, Christian Fuchs grew up to lead the Austrian football team as its captain. Currently a left back Charlotte FC, he has also won a Premier League and an FA Cup with Leicester City and a DFL-Supercup with Schalke 04. He also owns a football academy in Manhattan.

Wilhelm Steinitz was an Austrian-born American chess player. He is recognized as the first World Chess Champion, having reigned from 1886 to 1894. A multi-talented personality, Wilhelm Steinitz was also an influential chess theoretician and writer. Steinitz is also remembered for having a huge impact on the game and was a well-known player during his time.

Retired Austrian Formula One racer Helmut Marko most notably won the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans. He lost his left eye during the 1972 French Grand Prix. He now serves as the advisor of the Red Bull GmbH Formula One teams and heads the driver development program of Red Bull.

Austrian footballer Marko Arnautović is best known as a forward for the Italian club Bologna. He began his senior career with the Dutch club Twente and later went on to play for teams such as Inter Milan, Stoke City, and West Ham United. His achievements include a UEFA Champions League win.

Marcel Sabitzer is an Austrian football player who currently plays for Bayern Munich and the Austria national football team. In 2017, he was named Austrian Footballer of the Year. Marcel Sabitzer has been an important player for Bayern Munich since 2021, helping them win the Bundesliga and DFL-Supercup in 2022.

Hermann Maier is an Austrian retired alpine ski racer best known for winning two gold medals at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. A three-time world champion, Hermann Maier is often counted among the best alpine ski racers of all time.

Turkish-origin Austrian footballer Yusuf Demir is best known as a winger for Rapid Wien. Starting his youth career with First Vienna, he later switched to Rapid Wien and was also loaned to Barcelona. He has also played for all levels of the Austrian national football team.

Franz Klammer is an Austrian former alpine ski racer best known for winning a gold medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Austria. He also won two gold medals and a silver medal at the World Championships. Franz Klammer did much to foster the popularity of alpine ski racing, for which he was considered a hero by fans in Austria.

Widely known as the deepest man on Earth, Austrian freediver Herbert Nitsch currently holds the world freediving world record for his exceptional dive of 214 m. He has previously also worked as a pilot. He is also the only diver to hold records in all of AIDA's 8 freediving disciplines.

Thomas Muster is an Austrian retired tennis player and former world No. 1. Muster was one of the world's best clay court players during the 1990s, winning the French Open in 1995 and becoming the first Austrian to win a Grand Slam singles title. Such was his dominance on clay that Thomas Muster was called The King of Clay.   

Marcel Hirscher is an Austrian retired World Cup alpine ski racer. He is best known for winning two gold medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Marcel Hirscher also has an Olympic silver medal under his belt and is currently a seven-time World Champion. Hirscher has also won four silver medals in the World Championships so far.

Jakob Pöltl is an Austrian basketball player who currently plays for the popular NBA team, The San Antonio Spurs. He started his NBA career with the Toronto Raptors when he was picked in the 2016 NBA draft, becoming the first Austrian to represent an NBA team.

Austrian footballer Saša Kalajdžić is best known as a striker for the German club VfB Stuttgart. While he mostly played as a midfielder during his stint with clubs such as Admira Wacker, he later switched to being a striker. His towering 6’ 7” figure has often drawn comparisons to English striker Peter Crouch.

Known by his nickname, Rocket, Austrian MMA fighter Aleksandar Rakić now plays for the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight division. While he initially played football, he later switched to boxing and then eventually to MMA. He is a Brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is the current world number 4 in UFC rankings.

Mathias Lauda is an Austrian racing driver who is currently racing as a factory driver for Aston Martin Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship. He is best known as the son of the famous three-time F1 world champion, Niki Lauda.

Mairbek Taisumov is a Russian-born Austrian MMA fighter who fights in the lightweight division. He previously fought in M-1 Global and the Ultimate Fighting Championship, winning the Performance of the Night award on three occasions in the latter.

Marc Janko is an Austrian retired football player who played for the Austria national football team as a striker from 2006 to 2019. He also played for popular clubs like Red Bull Salzburg, for which he scored 75 goals in 108 appearances from 2005 to 2010.

Thomas Vanek is an Austrian retired ice hockey player who played as a left winger. He was part of 14 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons, representing various teams like the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, and Minnesota Wild. Thomas Vanek also represented Austria and helped the national team win the 2008 IIHF Division I World Championship.

Alex Manninger is an Austrian retired football player who played for the Austria national football team from 1999 to 2009 as a goalkeeper. He also played for various popular clubs like Arsenal, Red Bull Salzburg, Juventus, and Liverpool. Alex Manninger is best known for his association with Arsenal as he helped them win the 1998 Premier League and FA Cup.    

Valentino Lazaro is an Austrian football player who currently plays for the Austrian national football team as a midfielder and defender. He is best known for his association with the Red Bull Salzburg from 2012 to 2017, during which he helped them win many Austrian Bundesliga and Austrian Cup titles.

Andreas Weimann is an Austrian football player who currently plays as a forward and midfielder for Bristol City Football Club and the Austria national football team. Previously, he played for Aston Villa and Derby County.

Matthias Steiner is a Austrian-German former weightlifter best known for winning a gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. He also won a silver medal at the World Championships as well as two silver medals at the European Championships during his career.

Austrian racing driver Helmuth Koinigg was from an affluent family but struggled to finance his racing dreams initially. He tragically passed away in a deadly crash at age 25, in what was his second Grand Prix start, the 1974 US Grand Prix, when a suspension failure caused him to be decapitated.

Austrian footballer Aleksandar Dragović is known as a defender for the Serbian club Red Star Belgrade. Starting his career with Austria Wien, he later also played for clubs such as Dynamo Kyiv, Basel, and Leicester City. He created a massive controversy after playfully slapping Swiss minister Ueli Maurer's head during a medal ceremony.

Barbara Schett is an Austrian retired tennis player best known for representing Austria in 48 matches at the prestigious Billie Jean King Cup, where she helped the Austria Fed Cup team win 30 matches between 1993 and 2004. Since her retirement, Barbara Schett has been working as a presenter and commentator and is currently associated with Eurosport.

Sebastian Prödl is an Austrian retired football player who played for the Austrian national football team from 2007 to 2018, during which he represented his country in important tournaments like the 2016 UEFA European Football Championship. Sebastian Prödl also played for popular clubs like Sturm Graz and Werder Bremen.

Gernot Reinstadler was an Austrian ski racer who was considered one of the most promising young talents of the national downhill team of the early-1990s. Gernot Reinstadler died in a crash in 1991, post which safety measures were improved. 

Atdhe Nuhiu is a Kosovan football player who played as a striker for the Kosovo national football team from 2017 to 2021. He had previously played at various youth levels for the Austrian national team. Atdhe Nuhiu currently plays for SC Rheindorf Altach.

Michael Grabner is an Austrian ice hockey player who has played for the Austrian men's national hockey team at important tournaments like the 2012 World Championships and 2014 Olympic Games. Currently an unrestricted free agent, Michael Grabner has played for popular clubs like Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Islanders.

Roland Kickinger is an Austrian actor and bodybuilder best known for his appearances in several fitness magazines, bodybuilding competitions, and training videos. Kickinger is also known for his portrayal of Chip Rommel in the American sitcom Son of the Beach. He gained popularity in 2009 when he appeared as a prototype of the titular character in the film Terminator Salvation.

Ferdinand Habsburg is an Austrian motor racing driver who is currently driving with Team WRT in the FIA World Endurance Championship. He won the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2021. Ferdinand Habsburg is also known as an heir apparent to the primacy of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. 

Ismail Naurdiev is a Chechen-born Austrian MMA fighter who is currently a part of Brave Combat Federation where he competes in the Super Welterweight division. He has also competed in Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB) and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Naurdiev is well-known for his flashy and wild spinning kicks skills, which have earned him the nickname, The Austrian Wonderboy.    

Anna Fenninger is an Austrian retired alpine ski racer best known for winning a gold medal and a silver medal at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. She then won a silver medal at the subsequent Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Veith also won three gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal at the World Championships.

Austrian alpine ski racer Ulrike Maier was not just a 2-time Olympian but also a 2-time World Champion. Back when she competed, she was the only mother in the World Cup circuit. She died after breaking her neck in a downhill race in Germany at age 26.

Christian Klien is an Austrian retired Formula One racing driver. He currently competes for JP Motorsport in the GT World Challenge Europe. While competing in Formula One, Christian Klien represented popular teams like Jaguar, Red Bull, Honda and BMW Sauber, and HRT. 

Austrian footballer Moritz Bauer is best known as a right midfielder/defender for the Swiss club Servette FC. Starting his youth career with teams such as Grasshopper Club Zürich, he later also played for teams such as Stoke City, Rubin Kazan, and Celtic. He has won a Swiss Cup and a Scottish League Cup.