Matthias Sindelar

Matthias Sindelar (10 February 1903 – 23 January 1939) is a former Austrian football player. His nicknames were "Mozart of football" and "Der Papierene-the Paperman" due to his slight figure. He has played for Austria national team. Sindelar was elected for Austria's "Team of the century".

Matthias Sindelar

Matthias Sindelar in the jersey of Austria's team
Personal information
Full name	Matthias Sindelar
Date of birth	(1903-02-10)10 February 1903
Place of birth	Jihlava, Austria-Hungary
Date of death	23 January 1939(1939-01-23) (aged 35)
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Striker (retired)
Youth career
1918–1922	Hertha Vienna
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1921–1924	Hertha Vienna	23	(4)
1924–1939	Austria Wien	312	(240)
International career
1926–1937	Austria	43[1]	(26)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Austria Central European International Cup 1927–30 Central European International Cup Central European International Cup 1931–32 Central European International Cup Central European International Cup 1933–35 Central European International Cup
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Matthias Sindelar was of Czech origin. He and his family came to Vienna in 1905. They lived in Favoriten where Matthias started playing football with Hertha Vienna from 1918 to 1924. Then he went to FK Austria Wien (which was called Wiener Amateur-SV until 1926). For this club he played from 1924 until his death in 1939.

International career

He was an important part of the Austrian team in the early 1930s. This team is called "Wunderteam" and had won lot of matches against leading European nations. The following is a list of Sindelar's international appearances and goals with the Austria national football team.

Cap #	Date	Location	Type of match	Result	Opponent	Minutes played	Goals	Notes
1.	Sep 28, 1926	Prague	Friendly	2-1	Czechoslovakia	90	1
2.	Oct 10, 1926	Vienna	Friendly	7-1	Switzerland	90	2
3.	Nov 7, 1926	Vienna	Friendly	3-1	Sweden	90	1
4.	Mar 20, 1927	Vienna	Friendly	1-2	Czechoslovakia	90	0
5.	Apr 10, 1927	Vienna	Friendly	6-0	Hungary	48	0	[2]
6.	May 6, 1928	Vienna	Friendly	3-0	Yugoslavia	90	0
7.	Oct 28, 1928	Vienna	Dr. Gerö Cup	2-0	Switzerland	90	0
8.	Mar 23, 1930	Prague	Friendly	2-2	Czechoslovakia	90	0
9.	May 16, 1931	Vienna	Friendly	5-0	Scotland	90	1
10.	May 24, 1931	Berlin	Friendly	6-0	Germany	90	0
11.	Sep 14, 1931	Vienna	Friendly	5-0	Germany	90	3
12.	Oct 4, 1931	Budapest	Dr. Gerö Cup	2-2	Hungary	90	0
13.	Nov 29, 1931	Basel	Dr. Gerö Cup	8-1	Switzerland	90	1
14.	Mar 20, 1932	Vienna	Dr. Gerö Cup	2-1	Italy	90	2
15.	Apr 24, 1932	Vienna	Friendly	8-2	Hungary	90	3	[3]
16.	May 22, 1932	Prague	Dr. Gerö Cup	1-1	Czechoslovakia	90	1
17.	Jul 17, 1932	Stockholm	Friendly	4-3	Sweden	90	1
18.	Oct 2, 1932	Budapest	Friendly	3-2	Hungary	90	0
19.	Oct 23, 1932	Vienna	Dr.GeröCup	3-1	Switzerland	90	0
20.	Dec 7, 1932	London	Friendly	3-4	England	90	1
21.	Feb 12, 1933	Paris	Friendly	4-0	France	90	1
22.	April 9, 1933	Vienna	Friendly	1-2	Czechoslovakia	90	0
23.	Apr 30, 1933	Budapest	Friendly	1-1	Hungary	90	0
24.	Jun 11, 1933	Vienna	Friendly	4-1	Belgium	90	1
25.	Sep 17, 1933	Prague	Friendly	3-3	Czechoslovakia	90	2
26.	Oct 1, 1933	Vienna	Friendly	2-2	Hungary	90	0
27.	Nov 29, 1933	Glasgow	Friendly	2-2	Scotland	90	0
28.	Dec 10, 1933	Amsterdam	Friendly	1-0	Netherlands	90	0
29.	Apr 15, 1934	Vienna	Friendly	5-2	Hungary	90	0
30.	Apr 25, 1934	Vienna	World Cup qualification	6-1	Bulgaria	90	1
31.	May 27, 1934	Turin	World Cup	3-2	France	120	1
32.	May 31, 1934	Bologna	World Cup	2-1	Hungary	90	0
33.	Jun 3, 1934	Milan	World Cup	0-1	Italy	90	0
34.	Sep 23, 1934	Vienna	Dr. Gerö Cup	2-2	Czechoslovakia	90	0
35.	Oct 7, 1934	Budapest	Dr.Gerö Cup	1-3	Hungary	90	0
36.	Mar 24, 1935	Vienna	Dr. Gerö Cup	0-2	Italy	90	0
37.	May 6, 1936	Vienna	Friendly	2-1	England	90	0
38.	May 17, 1936	Rome	Friendly	2-2	Italy	90	0
39.	Sep 27, 1936	Budapest	Dr. Gerö Cup	3-5	Hungary	90	2
40.	Mar 21, 1937	Vienna	Dr. Gerö Cup	2-0	Italy	73	0	[4]
41.	May 9, 1937	Vienna	Friendly	1-1	Scotland	90	0
42.	May 23, 1937	Budapest	Friendly	2-2	Hungary	90	0
43.	Sep 19, 1937	Vienna	Dr. Gerö Cup	4-3	Switzerland	90	1
Totals						3841	26	[5]

Honours

Sindelar was ranked as Austria's best footballer of the twentieth century by the IFFHS, also ranking as the world's 22nd best. His career titles include:

Club

Austria Wien

• 1. Liga
  • Winner: 1926
  • Runner Up: (2) 1925, 1937
• Austrian Cup
  • Winner: (5) 1925, 1926, 1933, 1935, 1936
• Mitropa Cup
  • Winner: (2) 1933, 1936

International

Austria

• FIFA World Cup
  • Semi-finals: 1934
• Central European International Cup
  • Winner: 1931–32
  • Runner-up: (2) 1927–30, 1933–35

Individual

• FIFA World Cup Silver Ball: 1934
• Central European International Cup : best player: 1927-30,1933-35
• Mitropa Cup : top scorer:1932,1933
• IFFHS : Austrian player of the century
• Austrian Football Bundesliga : top soccer : 1926-27,1931-32,1932-33
• European leagues : Top Soccer :1932-33

International career statistics

^[6]

Austria national team
Year	Apps	Goals
1926	3	4
1927	2	0
1928	2	0
1929	0	0
1930	1	0
1931	5	5
1932	7	8
1933	8	4
1934	7	2
1935	1	0
1936	3	2
1937	4	1
Total	43	26

Death

Memorial Annengasse3

Matthias Sindelar was found dead in his home in Viennas Annengasse on 23 January 1939. The official reason was carbon monoxide poisoning. But soon after his death myths arose that it was because he said he wouldn't play for Germany, which occupied Austria, and therefore he was murdered. But the rumours were never verified.