Toni Polster facts for kids
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Polster in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Anton Polster | ||
| Date of birth | 10 March 1964 | ||
| Place of birth | Vienna, Austria | ||
| Height | 1.88 m | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1973–1981 | Austria Wien | ||
| 1982 | 1. Simmeringer SC | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1982–1987 | Austria Wien | 146 | (119) |
| 1987–1988 | Torino | 27 | (9) |
| 1988–1991 | Sevilla | 102 | (55) |
| 1991–1992 | Logroñés | 38 | (14) |
| 1992–1993 | Rayo Vallecano | 31 | (14) |
| 1993–1998 | 1. FC Köln | 150 | (79) |
| 1998–1999 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 38 | (15) |
| 1999–2000 | Austria Salzburg | 12 | (2) |
| Total | 544 | (307) | |
| National team | |||
| 1982–2000 | Austria | 95 | (44) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2010 | LASK Linz (reserve-team) | ||
| 2011–2013 | Wiener Viktoria | ||
| 2013 | Admira Wacker | ||
| 2014 | Wiener Viktoria | ||
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Anton "Toni" Polster (born on March 10, 1964) is a famous Austrian football coach and former player. He is known for scoring more goals than anyone else for the Austrian national team, with 44 goals! Fans often called him "Toni Doppelpack," which means "Toni Brace." This was because he often scored two goals in a single match.
Contents
Toni Polster's Football Journey
Early Career and Success in Austria
Toni Polster started playing football in the youth system of Austria Wien. He made his first professional league appearance in August 1982 when he was just 18 years old. Only three weeks later, he scored his first goal in the Austrian Bundesliga. With Austria Wien, he helped his team win the league three times and also won a national cup.
Playing in Europe: Italy, Spain, and Germany
After his success in Austria, Toni moved to play in other countries. He spent a season in Italy with Torino. Then, he played for five years in Spain for teams like Sevilla, Logroñés, and Rayo Vallecano. In 1990, he was the second-highest goalscorer in Spain, which is a big achievement!
In 1993, Toni moved to Germany and played for Köln for five years. He was a key player there. Later, he joined Borussia Mönchengladbach. After his time in Germany, Toni returned to Austria to play his final season with Austria Salzburg.
Awards and Records
Toni Polster was recognized for his amazing skills. In 2001, he was chosen for Austria's Team of the Century. He was also named the Austrian Sportsman of the Year in 1997.
Toni Polster's International Career
Playing for Austria's National Team
Toni Polster first played for the Austria Under-20 team in 1983. In November 1982, he made his debut for the senior Austrian national team. He scored his first goal right away in a 4–0 win against Turkey.
World Cup Appearances and Goal Records
Toni represented Austria in two World Cups: in 1990 and 1998. He played in 95 international matches for Austria and scored a record-breaking 44 goals. He broke the previous goalscoring record in November 1996 when he scored his 35th goal against Latvia.
His last official international game was thought to be a 1998 World Cup match against Italy. However, he had a special farewell match in September 2000 against Iran. His record for most appearances for Austria was later broken by Andreas Herzog in 2002.
Toni Polster as a Coach
Starting His Coaching Journey
After his playing career, Toni Polster became a coach. He started in January 2010 as a reserve-team coach at LASK Linz. In June 2011, he became the head coach of SC Wiener Viktoria. Under his coaching, the team was promoted to higher leagues twice!
Coaching in the Top League
On June 17, 2013, Toni took on his first coaching role in Austria's top football league, the Austrian Bundesliga. He became the head coach of Admira Wacker Mödling. However, after a short time, he left the team. Toni returned to coach SC Wiener Viktoria in January 2014.
Personal Life
Toni Polster has two children, Anton and Lisa-Marie.
Honours and Achievements
Team Trophies
Austria Wien
- Austrian Football Bundesliga: 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86
- Austrian Cup: 1985–86
Individual Awards
- Austrian Football Bundesliga Top scorer: 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87
- Austrian Footballer of the Year: 1985–86, 1996–97
- European Golden Shoe: 1986–87 (This award is for the top goalscorer in European national leagues!)
- Kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1993-94
See also
- List of top international men's football goalscorers by country
