Polster's dream: return to Rapid and international adventure!

Polster's dream: return to Rapid and international adventure!

23-year-old Nikolas Polster, goalkeeper at WAC, is currently in the spotlight of Austrian football. After winning the cup for the first time at the WAC, he can look forward to being nominated for the ÖFB team. This development is another step in his career, which includes an exciting journey. Polster was once trained at Rapid Vienna and left the club in 2020 for LASK, where he matured a lot.

His path took him through various loan positions until he found a permanent position at WAC in July 2024, where his contract now runs until 2027. This has not only broadened his prospects on the pitch but also fueled his ambitions to play in one of Europe's top five leagues. “I still feel very connected to Rapid,” says Polster, who doesn’t think a return to his training club is out of the question.

A new look at the talent in the ÖFB

The current developments surrounding Polster shed light on the situation of young Austrian talent in football. According to an analysis on 90minuten.at, the proportion of players under the age of 22 in the ADMIRAL Bundesliga is steadily decreasing. The proportion of playing minutes for Austrians in this age group fell to just 6.3% last season, while it was still over 12% in the 2022/23 season. An alarming trend that highlights how important it is to give young players like Polster the opportunity to express their talent on the big stage.

The analysis discusses two additional seasons and shows that in recent years there has been a dramatic decrease in playing time for young players, while at the same time the statistics for foreign players are increasing. The data only includes players who were fit to play - i.e. not injured or suspended.

WAC and Polster's future plans

At WAC, Polster has the chance to develop further and pursue his goal of playing abroad in the long term. “I hope that I can quickly gain more international experience,” said Polster. His nomination for the national team is the next step in gaining a foothold at international level.

It looks like the 23-year-old has a good hand in planning his career. With a strong performance at WAC, he can not only improve his personal balance, but also raise hope for the young talent in Austrian football. After all, it is a matter of time before more talent makes the leap from the Bundesliga to the big leagues around the world.

We can only hope that Nikolas Polster will become a role model for many young footballers in Austria with his determination and talent. The WAC and the ÖFB team can look forward to a committed player who, despite his youth, already has great ambitions. For today it is clear: Nikolas Polster's football journey is just beginning. There is more about this on WAC and Laola1.

So all that remains to be seen is how this story will develop and whether Polster can make his big breakthrough in football - we're keeping our fingers crossed!