Karl Koller (footballer)

Karl Koller (9 February 1929 – 24 January 2009^[1]) was an Austrian football player.

Karl Koller

Koller in 1964
Personal information
Full name	Karl Koller
Date of birth	(1929-02-09)9 February 1929
Place of birth	Hölles, Austria
Date of death	24 January 2009(2009-01-24) (aged 79)
Place of death	Baden, Austria
Position(s)	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1949–1966	First Vienna	836	(101)
International career
1952–1965	Austria	86	(5)
Managerial career
1967	1. Wiener Neustädter SC
1968	First Vienna
Medal record Representing  Austria FIFA World Cup 1954 Switzerland
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Austria national football team in 1958 with the following players – from left to right, standing; Walter Horak, Ernst Happel, Karl Koller, Alfred Körner, Paul Halla, Walter Schleger; crouched: Helmut Senekowitsch, Gerhard Hanappi, Rudolf Szanwald, Franz Swoboda and Johann Buzek.

Grave of Karl Koller in Blumau-Neurißhof

Club career

Koller played most of his career for First Vienna FC (1949–1966). He is regarded, behind Ernst Ocwirk and Gerhard Hanappi, as one of the best Austrian midfielders of all time and was rated as one of the best 100 European footballers of the 20th century by the IFFHS.^[2] Normally a center midfielder, Koller was capable in both in defense and attack and was well known for technique, strength and powerful shot from distance.

International career

He made his debut for Austria in a March 1952 friendly match against Belgium and was a participant at the 1954 FIFA World Cup in Switzerland, where they reached 3rd place and 1958 FIFA World Cup, where he scored a goal in a match against England.

He earned 86 caps, scoring 5 goals, which still makes him Austria's fourth most capped player of all time.^[3] His last international was a September 1965 World Cup qualification match against Hungary.

He went on to coach 1. Wiener Neustädter SC.^[4]

Honours

Club

• Austrian Football Bundesliga (1):
  • 1955
• Austrian Cup (1):
  • 1961

International

• FIFA World Cup Third Place:
  • 1954