Toni Polster

Football player infobox
playername= Toni Polster
fullname = Anton Polster
nickname =


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1964|3|10
cityofbirth = Vienna
countryofbirth = Austria
height = height|meters =1.88
currentclub = retired
clubnumber =
position = forward
youthyears = 1973-1981 1982
youthclubs = Austria Wien SC Simmering
years = 1982–1987
1987–1988
1988–1991
1991–1992
1992–1993
1993–1998
1998–1999
2000
clubs = FK Austria Wien
Torino
Sevilla FC
CD Logroñés
Rayo Vallecano
1. FC Köln
Borussia Mönchengladbach
SV Austria Salzburg
"career totals"
caps(goals) = 147 (119)
027 00(9)
102 0(55)
038 0(14)
031 0(14)
151 0(79)
038 0(15)
012 00(2)
"546 (307)"
nationalyears = 1982-2000
nationalteam = Austria
nationalcaps(goals) = 095 0(44)
pcupdate = 6 June 2007
ntupdate = 6 June 2007

Anton ("Toni") Polster (born March 10, 1964 in Vienna) is a former Austrian football (soccer) striker,the all-time leading goalscorer for Austria and the singer of the austrian band Achtung Liebe.

Club career

Polster came through the Austria Wien youth system to make his professional league debut in August 1982, at 18 years of age. He scored his first Bundesliga goal three weeks later and went on to win three league titles and a domestic cup before moving abroad to play a season for Serie A mid-table side Torino. He then spent the five following years at Spanish teams Sevilla FC, CD Logroñés and Rayo Vallecano, ending up with these teams in mid-table as well. In 1990 he finished runner-up in the Spanish goalscoring chart. [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tabless/spanhist8999.html#8990 Spain, Final Tables 1989-1999] - RSSSF] In 1993 he moved to Germany to spend 5 years at 1. FC Köln, again ending up in mid-table every season except for the last one in which he experienced relegation. That made him join Borussia Mönchengladbach next year but they got also relegated at the end of the season and Polster returned to Austria to play a final season at SV Austria Salzburg.

He was known to fans as "Doppelpack" Polster - "Twinpack" Polster, because of his reputation for scoring two goals in many matches.Fact|date=June 2008

Polster was chosen in Austria's Team of the Century in 2001.

International career

In 1983 Polster was selected for the Austria U20's to play at the 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship [ [http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament=104/edition=191120/teams/team=1888244.html 1983 Austria U20 squad] - FIFA]

He had already made his senior debut for Austria in November 1982 against Turkey, immediately scoring his first goal, and was a participant at the 1990 FIFA World Cup and 1998 FIFA World Cup. [ [http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=174872/index.html Record at FIFA Tournaments] - FIFA] He earned 95 caps, scoring a record 44 goals. [ [http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/polster-intlg.html Anton "Toni" Polster - Goals in International Matches] - RSSSF] He overtook the previous goalscoring record, set by Hans Krankl, in 1996, scoring his 35th goal against Latvia.

His final (and record-breaking 94th) international was thought to be a July 1998 World Cup qualification match against Italy, but he was given an official farewell match in September 2000 against Iran in which he was substituted in the 21st minute by Christian Mayrleb. His appearances record was surpassed by Andreas Herzog in May 2002.

Honours

*Austrian Football Bundesliga (3):
** 1984, 1985, 1986
*Austrian Cup (1):
** 1986
*Austrian Bundesliga Top Goalscorer (1):
** 1985, 1986, 1987 [cite web | url = http://www.oberliga-a.at/fussball_a/torschutzen_a.htm | title = Österreichs Torschützenkönige | publisher = www.oberliga-a.at | accessdate = 2008-08-14]

External links

* [http://tonipolster.at/ Official website] - Toni Polster
* [http://www.austria-archiv.at/spieler.php?Spieler_ID=133 Profile] - Austria Archive
* [http://www.national-football-teams.com/v2/player.php?id=13205 Career stats] - National Football Teams

References