Stefan Ilsanker

For the German luger, see Stefan Ilsanker (luger).

Stefan Ilsanker (born 18 May 1989) is an Austrian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Stefan Ilsanker

Ilsanker with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth	(1989-05-18) 18 May 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth	Hallein, Salzburg, Austria
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	USV Koppl
Youth career
0000–2005	1. Halleiner SK
2005–2007	Red Bull Salzburg
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2010	Red Bull Juniors Salzburg	76	(4)
2009–2010	Red Bull Salzburg	0	(0)
2010–2012	SV Mattersburg	50	(0)
2012–2015	Red Bull Salzburg	89	(4)
2015–2020	RB Leipzig	105	(1)
2020–2022	Eintracht Frankfurt	51	(3)
2022–2023	Genoa	16	(0)
2025–	USV Koppl	0	(0)
Total		387	(12)
International career
2007–2008	Austria U19	12	(0)
2008–2010	Austria U21	9	(0)
2014–2022	Austria	61	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

A product of the Red Bull Salzburg academy, Ilsanker's professional career spanned 15 years, where he also played for SV Mattersburg, RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt and Genoa. During his active career, he also represented Austria at the Under-19 European Championship and was also a member of the under-21 team. He was a full senior international between 2014 and 2022.

Club career

Ilsanker began his career in the youth squad of 1. Halleiner SK as goalkeeper but soon switched into the midfield. In 2005, he signed with Red Bull Salzburg, where he played in the Red Bull Juniors team.

On 4 April 2009, Ilsanker was called up to the first team bench for a league game. His first game for Red Bull Salzburg was a national cup match on 15 August 2009.^[2] On 25 August 2009, he played his first international game for Red Bull Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League qualifier versus Maccabi Haifa.

At the end of the 2009–10 season Ilsanker signed with SV Mattersburg.^[3] In 2012, he came back to Red Bull Salzburg. In the meantime, he was a regular of the starting team of the club. On 26 February, the club announced, that his contract was extended till 2018.

Stefan Ilsanker was sent-off on 19 December 2018 against Bayern Munich.^[4]

On 31 January 2020, Ilsanker joined Eintracht Frankfurt on a deal lasting until 2022.^[5][6] On 3 June 2020, Ilsanker came off the bench against Werder Bremen and scored twice in the final 10 minutes of the match to secure a 3–0 victory.^[7]

On 23 June 2022, Ilsanker joined Italian club Genoa.^[8]

He announced his retirement from football on 6 January 2024, after being without a club for six months following his release from Genoa.^[9]

International career

Stefan Ilsanker with the Austria national football team, 2014

Ilsanker has won over 40 caps for Austria since his debut in 2014. Ilsanker represented his country at Euro 2016, where Austria finished last in Group F.^[10] Ilsanker played in two matches for Austria at the tournament, their 0–0 draw with eventual champions Portugal^[11] and 2–1 loss to Iceland.^[12]

Personal life

Stefan Ilsanker is the son of Herbert Ilsanker, the goalkeeper coach of Red Bull Salzburg.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition^[13]

Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Red Bull Salzburg (A)	2006–07	Austrian First League	0	0	3	0	—		3	0
	2007–08		26	2	—		—		26	2
	2008–09		23	0	1	0	—		24	0
	2009–10		27	2	—		—		27	2
	Total		76	4	4	0	—		80	4
Red Bull Salzburg	2009–10	Austrian Bundesliga	0	0	2	0	1	0	3	0
Mattersburg	2010–11	Austrian Bundesliga	26	0	4	0	—		30	0
	2011–12		24	0	2	0	—		26	0
	Total		50	0	6	0	—		56	0
Red Bull Salzburg	2012–13	Austrian Bundesliga	26	0	4	0	1	0	31	0
	2013–14		32	4	6	1	13	0	51	1
	2014–15		31	0	5	0	9	0	45	0
	Total		89	4	15	1	23	0	127	4
RB Leipzig	2015–16	2. Bundesliga	26	1	2	0	—		28	1
	2016–17	Bundesliga	33	0	1	0	—		34	0
	2017–18		21	0	1	0	6	0	28	0
	2018–19		19	0	4	0	11	0	34	0
	2019–20		6	0	1	0	0	0	7	0
	Total		105	1	9	0	17	0	131	1
Eintracht Frankfurt	2019–20	Bundesliga	12	2	2	0	4	0	18	2
	2020–21		27	1	2	0	—		29	1
	2021–22		12	0	0	0	2	0	14	0
	Total		51	3	4	0	6	0	61	3
Genoa	2022–23	Serie B	16	0	0	0	—		16	0
Career total			387	12	40	1	47	0	473	13

Honours

Red Bull Salzburg

• Austrian Bundesliga: 2013–14, 2014–15
• Austrian Cup: 2013–14

Eintracht Frankfurt

• UEFA Europa League: 2021–22

References

1. "Stefan Ilsanker". Eintracht Frankfurt. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
2. "Stefan Ilsanker - ÖFB Cup 2009/2010". weltfussball.at (in German). World Football. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
3. "Erste Neuverpflichtungen bei Mattersburg" [First signings at Mattersburg]. UEFA.com (in German). Union of European Football Associations. 20 May 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
4. "Ribery lässt die Bayern im Verfolgerduell jubeln". Kicker (in German). kicker. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
5. "RasenBallsport Leipzig - Abgang-Ilsanker". redbulls (in German). Retrieved 13 March 2020.
6. "Vertrag bis 2022: Stefan Ilsanker wird ein Adlerträger" (in German). Eintracht Frankfurt. 31 January 2020.
7. "Ilsanker brace for Eintracht keeps Bremen in drop zone". ESPNFC. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
8. "Stefan #Ilsanker è un nuovo giocatore del Genoa" (in Italian). Genoa. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
9. "Mit 34 ist Schluss: Ilsanker beendet Karriere". kicker (in German). 6 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
10. "Euro 2016: Full squads for every country". BBC. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
11. "Cristiano Ronado hits upright with 79th-minute penalty". UEFA. 18 June 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
12. "Iceland scored a dramatic injury-time winner in a pulsating match to eliminate Austria and set up a last-16 tie against England in Nice on Monday". BBC. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
13. "Stefan Ilsanker » Club matches". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 5 February 2017.

External links

• Stefan Ilsanker – 2008 Interview (in German)