Michael Gspurning facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Michael Gspurning

Gspurning as the goalkeeper coach of Union Berlin in 2022
Personal information
Full name	Michael Gspurning
Date of birth	(1981-05-02) 2 May 1981 (age 44)
Place of birth	Graz, Austria
Height	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Union Berlin and Austria (goalkeeping coach)
Youth career
	Austria Wien
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2001	Austria Wien	0	(0)
2001–2004	DSV Leoben	62	(0)
2004–2006	ASKÖ Pasching	7	(0)
2007–2012	Skoda Xanthi	89	(0)
2012–2014	Seattle Sounders FC	49	(0)
2014	PAOK	1	(0)
2014–2015	Platanias	0	(0)
2015	Schalke 04 II	15	(0)
2015–2016	Schalke 04	0	(0)
2016–2017	Union Berlin	0	(0)
Total		223	(0)
International career
2008–2009	Austria	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michael Gspurning is a former footballer from Austria. He was a goalkeeper. He was born on May 2, 1981, in Graz, Austria.

Michael played for several teams during his career. He also played for the Austrian national team three times. After he stopped playing, he became a coach. He is now a goalkeeping coach for Union Berlin and the Austrian national team.

Michael's Football Journey

Starting Out in Austria

Michael Gspurning began his football journey at Austria Wien. He joined their youth teams when he was young. In 2000, he moved up to the main team. However, he did not play any official games for them.

In 2001, he joined DSV Leoben, a team in a lower league. He played regularly there for three seasons. He appeared in 62 league matches.

Playing for ASKÖ Pasching

In 2004, Michael joined ASKÖ Pasching. He was a backup goalkeeper for this team. He played only seven games over three seasons.

He was also part of the team for UEFA Cup matches. Pasching played against Zenit St. Petersburg twice. They lost both times because of the "away goals" rule. This rule means the team that scores more goals away from home wins if the total score is tied.

Moving to Greece with Skoda Xanthi

In 2007, Michael left Austria to play in Greece. He signed with Skoda Xanthi. He made his first game for them in November 2007.

He played for Skoda Xanthi for four seasons. He appeared in 89 league matches for the club. He left the team in 2011.

Playing in the USA for Seattle Sounders FC

Gspurning at practice with Seattle in 2013.

In December 2011, Michael joined Major League Soccer team Seattle Sounders FC. He became their main goalkeeper. He took over from a famous American player, Kasey Keller, who had retired.

Michael played his first game for Seattle in March 2012. It was a CONCACAF Champions League match. He also played his first MLS league game that month. He helped his team win 3-1.

He got his first "shutout" (meaning he didn't let the other team score) the next week. In May, he got a hip injury and had to miss some games.

Returning to Play in Seattle

Michael came back to play in July 2012. He helped the Sounders win many games. He had another shutout in August.

He also played in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League. He helped his team win two matches. He even got an assist on a goal in a game against the Portland Timbers. An assist means he helped set up the goal.

Michael played 21 regular season games in 2012. He let in only 15 goals. This was one of the best records for a goalkeeper in MLS history.

Challenges in 2013

In 2013, Michael started the season strong. He had three shutouts in a row. But in July, he injured his arm during a game. He missed three weeks of playing.

He returned to play in August. Later in the season, he was replaced for two games. This happened after he let in nine goals in two matches. He played in the last game of the season.

In the MLS Cup Playoffs, Michael played in the first four games. He was sent off (meaning he had to leave the game) in one match. His team was later knocked out of the playoffs. After the 2013 season, Seattle Sounders decided not to keep him.

Back to Greece with PAOK and Platanias

After leaving Seattle, Michael went back to Greece. He joined PAOK in 2014. He was a backup goalkeeper there. He played only one game for the team. After that, PAOK did not extend his contract.

In September 2014, he joined another Greek team, Platanias. He played there for the first half of the season. He left Platanias when his contract ended.

Playing in Germany for Schalke

In February 2015, Michael joined Schalke 04's U23 team in Germany. He was an older player who helped guide the younger players. He played 15 games for the reserve team.

In July 2015, he signed a one-year professional contract with the main Schalke 04 team. The manager, Horst Heldt, said Michael had done a good job. He helped the U23 team stay in their league.

Playing for His Country: Austria

Michael Gspurning played for the Austria national football team. He made his first international game in November 2008. It was a friendly match against Turkey. Austria lost the game 4-2.

He played his first World Cup qualifying match in April 2009. Austria won that game 2-1 against Romania. His last game for Austria was in June 2009 against Serbia. He has not played for the national team since then.

How Michael Played

People who watched Michael play described him as a "big" and "tall" goalkeeper. He was known for his height and presence in goal.

Michael's Life Outside Football

Michael Gspurning is married and has a daughter and a son. He can speak three languages: German, English, and Greek. He learned Greek while playing in Greece.

His teammates described him as easygoing and a "jokester." He was given the nickname "Cerberus" when he played for Skoda Xanthi. Cerberus is a three-headed dog from Greek mythology.

After Playing: Media Career

After his playing contract ended in 2014, Michael returned to Austria. He started working as a TV expert. He was an analyst for TV channels Sky Austria and Servus TV. He talked about football matches, including the Austrian Bundesliga.

Career Statistics

Club Performance

Here is a table showing Michael Gspurning's club career statistics. It shows how many games he played and goals he scored for different teams.

International Appearances

This table shows Michael Gspurning's games for the Austrian national team.

See also

In Spanish: Michael Gspurning para niños