Nicolas Seiwald: Austria’s local lad, who is valuable to Ralf Rangnick's transformation
Salzburg local lad is the epitome of Red Bull football, and under Ralf Rangnick, one of the pioneers of the RB network and now Austria manager, the same applies.
This article is the latest piece of xG Files’ ‘EuroFiles’ series for the upcoming European Championship, profiling 24 players from the qualified nations with expert opinions from journalists, writers, editors, and media guides from each respective nation, which you can find here.
When Ralf Rangnick was appointed the Austrian national team manager in May 2022, there was natural scepticism. However, for Rangnick and the Austrian FA (OFB), the convection couldn't have been stronger.
Rangnick, who would be relieved of his meagre interim tenure at Manchester United after the 21-22, would also sacrifice his consultancy role to fully focus on implementing what he aimed for as a “young team hungry for success”—and two years into his post, as the nation gears up for its most ambitious international tournament in recent years at Rangnick’s homeland of Germany, he has done so and some.
Hailed as the ‘godfather of Gegenpressing,’ Rangnick was tasked with constructing a style of football that would resonate with the core group of players—with many products of the Red Bull-infused web that predecessor Franco Foda couldn't.
Bleeding in the RB DNA style: high-pressing, energy-filled, and daring, with Salzburg local lad Nicolas Seiwald the epitome of it.
Anna Konovalova, an Austrian football analyst and freelance journalist on Seiwald: “His career is developing in the right direction and according to all expectations.”
Born in Kuchl, a village town near Salzburg, Seiwald has been soaked in Red Bull football from a young age, joining Red Bull Salzburg at the under-9s level.
“He was, in fact, rated really high,” said Konovalova.
“He was already standing out in the younger categories, both on and off the pitch, and wore the captain's armband in different teams leading up to Salzburg's reserves, FC Liefering, where he immediately established himself in the starting XI right after getting promoted to that level.”
“Another point that made him stand out was the fact that he is local. RBS [Red Bull Salzburg] prides [itself] on the constellation of international multi-cultural talents they always have in the squad, but having a link to the region and having someone in leading roles from these places is also important for the club.”
During Seiwald’s breakthrough into the Salzburg first-team, long-time sporting director Christoph Freund admired over the Austrian midfielder: "Nici Seiwald is just like I was in younger years, but many times better,” said Freund, though not an accomplished footballer himself, it was a statement that resonated with the judgement of many.
Seiwald was the leading man in the youth Salzburg side that reached the 2019-2020 UEFA Youth League semi-final, contributing with a goal or assist in every odd game across 10 matches, alongside fellow future first-teamers Karim Adeyemi, Benjamin Šeško, Luka Sučić, Amar Dedić, and Maurits Kjærgaard.
In a collection of youth stars, Seiwald's, at times, understated game was the most first-team-ready.
“He had a steady development at all stages of his career, breaking into the first team of Red Bull Salzburg in early 2020 and never looking back, becoming the cornerstone in midfield that summer and even captaining his team in his last weeks in Salzburg in 2023,” Konovalova said.
It’s harder for a young midfielder’s performance to deceive in a team than that of, say, a defender or an attacker. It's an area of the pitch that requires an efficient operation, unwavering confidence, and a sharp mind—even more so for one of the country’s leading clubs, as Salzburg has emphatically established itself in the last two decades. All of this Seiwald showed in his three seasons with his boyhood club.
Under Jesse Marsch and then, more prominently, Matthias Jaissle, Seiwald’s qualities centralised the RB-based team, with the aforementioned pair also coming through the RB coaching network—Marsch through as head coach with New York Red Bulls and season as Rangnick’s assistant with Leipzig, and Jaissle via Salzburg sister club Liefering.
Seiwald is the midfielder that the RB project intends to churn out on regularity. Comfortable and, importantly, selfless on both sides of the ball. He’s not the quickest on or with the ball, but he is decisive. Off it, one word: combative. In his debut season upon his in-house move to Leipzig, Seiwald’s 4.14 tackles per ninety rank in the 99th percentile amongst Bundesliga peers, according to Fbref.com.
Bought in to succeed countryman Konrad Laimer—cited as an influence—Seiwald's adaptation struggles saw his minutes restricted until the backend of the season. His form picked up as he replaced fellow injured compatriot Xaver Schlager, and the expectation will be to do the same with Austria in the summer.
“He was absolutely crucial during the qualification for the Euros.” Konovalova added, “Seiwald has always been a tireless player with a very high stamina, and this is one of the qualities that Ralf Rangnick values highly in players he relies upon.”
Seiwald played all eight of Austria’s successful qualifying matches, completing every full 90 minutes.
Relied on in a double pivot that is expected to set the tempo and find the balance between control and all action.
“Rangnick praised him at every opportunity, applauding his top mentality, even saying that "it's a dream of every coach to work with a player like him,” said Konovalova.
“The environment should be suitable for him to flourish, as Ralf Rangnick’s team is playing football that he has running in his veins from early childhood.”