On Saturday, coach Manfred Schmid sent out the youngest Austria starting eleven since November 18, 2017, at 22 years and 354 days, and at the final whistle the average age was even 21 years and 120 days. The 2-2 draw with Admira featured six of Austria's own players, one of whom - Ziad El Sheiwi - was one of the youngest Austrian players ever to make his Bundesliga debut.

Our path of youth is also making headlines internationally, with the renowned soccer magazine kicker.at, for example, reporting on the Austria path and the debut of Ziad El Sheiwi. At 17 years, seven months and five days, the left-back was the second-youngest Austrian in Bundesliga history to feature in the purple starting eleven; only Gerald Glatzmayer, the former international who died in an accident in 2001, was a few months younger.

In addition to debutant El Sheiwi (17), four other U20 players - Leonardo Ivkic (18), Matthias Braunöder (19), Eric Martel (19) and Muharem Huskovic (18) - were in the starting eleven. Other youngsters came into the game from the bench in Noah Ohio (18), Can Keles (20) and Aleksandar Jukic (21).

"You can see from these players that there is a lot of potential at Austria. It makes me proud when I see what kind of team has come in. You can't train the experience that the boys are still lacking - they have to gain it in the games. They can make mistakes with me. The most important thing is that they deliver everything, and I have that feeling. There's a lot of drive in training," says coach Manfred Schmid.

The fact that this approach is being rewarded despite the lack of home victories (all six games at the Generali Arena this season have ended in draws) pleases the Austria coach:

"I sense a very positive mood and get a lot of feedback that the fans like the way we are going. Even if one or the other is certainly disappointed shortly after the 2:2 against Admira, many fans are convinced that something can be created this way."

The North Stand also painted a youthful picture on Saturday. We are pleased that against Admira more than 800 girls and boys from the Austria Soccer Camps and the soccer schools, 150 children from the Violet Lower Austria campaign and 40 families from the directly adjacent Viola Park were guests at the Generali Arena.