Leopold Šťastný facts for kids

Leopold Šťastný (born May 23, 1911; died May 14, 1996) was a famous football player and coach from Slovakia. He was known for his skills on the field as a defender. Later, he became a successful coach, leading many teams to victory. He also helped create a special football league for school kids in Austria.

Leopold Šťastný: Football Legend

Playing Days: A Strong Defender

Before World War II

Before World War II, Leopold Šťastný played football for a club called 1. ČsŠK Bratislava. Today, this club is known as Slovan Bratislava. He played as a defender, which means his job was to stop the other team from scoring goals.

His team played in the Státní liga, which was the top football league in Czechoslovakia at that time. In 1935, his team finished in fifth place. That same year, Šťastný played his first game for the Czechoslovakian national team. He played two matches for them in total.

During World War II

During World War II, Slovakia became an independent country for a while. It had its own football league. Leopold Šťastný's team, Bratislava, was very successful during this time. They won the league championship in 1940, 1941, 1942, and 1944. He also played one game for the Slovakian national football team during this period.

Coaching Career: Leading Teams to Victory

After the war, Leopold Šťastný stopped playing and started his career as a football coach. He became very successful in this new role.

Success with Slovan Bratislava

Šťastný coached his former club, Slovan Bratislava, three different times. These periods were from 1949 to 1951, 1954 to 1957, and 1963 to 1965. During his time as coach, he led Slovan Bratislava to win the Czechoslovakian championship four times.

Coaching in Austria

In 1966, Leopold Šťastný moved to Austria. He became the coach of FC Wacker Innsbruck. He helped this club achieve national honors, meaning they won important championships in Austria.

The Austrian National Team

In 1968, Šťastný was chosen to coach the Austrian national football team. He stayed in this important role until 1975. He retired from coaching the national team due to health reasons. Even after retiring, he continued to work for the Austrian Football Association for another four years.

A Special Legacy: The Schülerliga

One of Leopold Šťastný's most important contributions was founding the Austrian Schülerliga. This is a special football competition for schools in Austria. It gives young students a chance to play organized football.

In 1980, he moved to Canada to live with his son. However, he loved the Schülerliga so much that he returned to Austria every year. He came back just to watch the finals of the school football competition. To honor his great work and dedication, a small street in Vienna was named after him.