Laura Wienroither: You still can’t really understand it

Laura Wienroither, 23-year-old full-back from Frankenburg, put on a strong performance in Austria’s opening 1-0 defeat by England in front of more than 68,000 fans at Manchester’s Old Trafford. Now the Arsenal legionnaire is all set to win. On Monday (6 p.m., ORF 1) the blatant outsider in Group A, Northern Ireland, awaits at St. Mary’s Stadium in Southampton. It takes three points to stay in contention for a quarter-final ticket. Before this trend-setting match, Wienroither answered questions at the team camp in Pennyhill Park. The OÖN were there.

After England, Northern Ireland is approaching your team. The conditions are completely different. this time you are the favorite.

Laura Wienroither: It’s going to be a whole different game. This is an opponent who is compact at the back and looking for switching moments on the offensive. We know about Northern Ireland, they played against Norway (1:4, NB) as we expected. They are aggressive, very robust in duels. Like us, they come from the collective, from the physique. It’s a shame that it was 2-0 for Norway (13th minute, note) so soon. After that, the Northern Irish did quite well, the match could have ended differently. Namely much higher for Norway. That’s all good.

After the 0-1 draw at Old Trafford, there were words of praise from the victorious English women. Does that honor you?

Of course it takes courage when the other team says we did well. Still, it’s a shame we didn’t take anything countable with us. However, the performance should give us a boost for the next games.

You swapped jerseys with goal scorer Beth Mead, your team-mate. Where will this land?

It will definitely have a special place.

Team boss Irene Fuhrmann released the day after the England match. Did you have a chance to meet your family.

I only saw my parents right after the match at Old Trafford, they then flew back to London.

What impressions do you take away from this opening match, in this setting with more than 68,000 spectators?

You still can’t really understand it, it will probably only happen after the tournament. Because now we’re just looking forward, Northern Ireland is a mega important game. But one thing is clear: It is something very special that such an atmosphere is possible in women’s football. And if you can also be there, that makes it something very special.

How do you rate English football? You have been in London since January after moving from TSG Hoffenheim to WFC Arsenal. What is important?

I got used to the pace of English football and the physicality quite well. Here it is important to make quick decisions and find creative solutions. I’m glad it went like this during these six months. Basically I like English football. In Germany, the emphasis is more on the tactical. In England the individual quality is stronger. It’s nice that as a young player you can experience several facets of the game.

Do you also come into contact with the Arsenal men’s team?

We have the training ground together. And the fitness area. So you run into each other regularly.

How many tattoos do you actually have?

Maybe twelve. That on my thigh is my parents’ dates of birth, that’s the coordinates of my home in Frankenburg. The hand stands for my brother, for the solidarity we have. Everything has a bit to do with home.

You fought for a regular place at the back right of the national team and pushed Katharina Schiechtl out of the starting XI.

We get along very, very well, we can rely on each other 100 percent. It doesn’t matter who is playing.

You were the only Austrian in the starting XI in Manchester who hadn’t been there in 2017 when they reached the semi-finals of the EURO in the Netherlands. Is that special?

Of course that makes me very proud. It’s my first EURO. In my second home at that. The joy is huge. Now we want to win together.

How do you rate your own development?

I’ve always stayed with myself. It wasn’t always easy in Hoffenheim, but I fought my way through. I just always wanted to be my best version, even if I didn’t have the opportunity to play.

That means you are very ambitious.

Yes.