Sarah Zadrazil, who played her 100th international match for Austria yesterday in the EURO quarter-finals against eight-time champions Germany at the Brentford Community Stadium, had already won a match against a man from the large neighboring country before the kick-off. World Champion Thomas Müller (32), star player at FC Bayern and thus a Zadrazil club colleague, met the 29-year-old in June to make a video for his series “Thomas Müller’s Da schau hin!” to turn.
The powerful midfield director, who was born in Bad Ischl and grew up in St. Gilgen, accepted the challenge and promptly beat the superstar. In the so-called tic-tac-toe duel, in which the opponents try to kick out three circles or crosses in a row (on a wall) with the ball, technical skills and brains are required.
Zadrazil won 2-1 after trailing 1-0. Müller, who like Zadrazil wears jersey number 25 at Bayern, then jokingly suspected “cheating” before getting serious again. “I keep my fingers crossed for Sarah at the European Football Championship in England as well as for the DFB women’s team,” wrote Müller. Little did he know then that there would be a knockout duel in the last eight.
“It was a rare contact. Thomas Müller is very likeable, it was a very good exchange away from the cameras,” Zadrazil gave an insight into the meeting. She is under contract with the Munich women until 2023. “It’s cool when I look back at where I play now and that I play such a role at Bayern.”
100,000 followers on Instagram
For Zadrazil, who wears the “nine” in the red-white-red team and is very active in social networks in cooperation with a sporting goods manufacturer and an energy drink producer, there could not have been a more attractive match on the occasion of her anniversary.
A few hours before her 100th international match, she welcomed her 100,000th follower on Instagram. This also helps to increase the popularity ratings of women’s football. This is a goal that is not only pursued by Zadrazil, one can definitely speak of a mission of the national team. Before the first group game in front of more than 68,000 fans at Old Trafford against England, Zadrazil posted a photo showing her as a child in a colorful dress. With a football in hand, of course.
“Who would have thought then that I would represent my country at a European Championship on such a big stage? I can’t promise we’ll be successful, but I can tell all the girls out there that I’m giving my all and I’m proud to wear this shirt I’m doing this for them to show them that it’s possible to live a dream,” Zadrazil wrote. “Always believe in yourself, dream big and don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do something. This is our time – and I’m more than ready to show what it means to be a strong woman.”
Sarah Puntigam (1. FC Köln), Austria’s record international with 124 team appearances, praises the “football crazy” Zadrazil in the highest tones. “She’s an incredibly lovely person, very warm and always up for a laugh. She’s just amazing on the pitch – a fighter that everyone can rely on.” She runs and runs and runs.
Source: Nachrichten