Felix Strauß is a professional footballer at SCR Altach (Vorarlberg, Austria) and fondly remembers his first time on the pitch at the age of three. His career is special and unique because it was never a straight line. Several changes and an injury at the worst possible time have shaped him mentally and made him strong. He tells his story here.

An early start

Neumarkt am Wallersee - even as a three-year-old, Felix went to the football pitch with his brother and mum. He was still too young to play himself, but his tenacity was already evident back then. After asking him five times, the coach finally let him play. At the age of 6, he was in the stadium at Red Bull Salzburg and was thrilled when star coach Alexander Zickler took a photo with him. At the time, he had no idea that he would soon be playing under this very coach.

The end before it began?

After many moves and changes of club, Felix Strauss finally ended up at Red Bull Salzburg and trained under Alexander Zickler. This moment shaped him forever and he realised that he could achieve big goals if he kept his eye on the ball. In his six years at the academy, he had great coaches and developed into a strong player, but a mini ankle tear shortly before his call-up to the second team was a major setback for the young player.

A change in mentality

At the age of 18, Felix Strauß moved to the U19 team of Victoria Köln and trained under Jürgen Kohler, himself a great professional footballer at the time. This is where he learnt one of his most important lessons: That you are in control of your own destiny and that you are your own worst enemy. No matter how much capital a club has, no matter how well equipped the training pitches and weight rooms are, you have to put in the work yourself. No matter what you have at your disposal, you are always in control of what you do with it.

Taking care of your own body

This philosophy of hard work and personal responsibility runs like a red thread through Felix Strauß' career. He has learnt first-hand that giving up is not an option. There are things you can't control, for example when a club doesn't get a licence for the next league because the stadium doesn't meet the requirements. Or an injury shortly before signing a contract. It's about not giving up, believing in yourself and continuing to work on yourself. This also includes looking after yourself and taking the right measures at an early stage to maintain your own performance.

Invest in your body early enough

Healthy sleep is one of the most important investments you can make in your own performance. Whether you can still perform at your best on the pitch in your mid-30s or have to deal with a lot of injuries is often decided early on in your sporting career. We are happy to accompany you on your way to optimal night-time regeneration and thus to the longest and most successful career possible.