Mario Leitgeb
Leitgeb in 2018
Personal information
Date of birth (1988-06-30) 30 June 1988
Place of birth Graz, Austria
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Wolfsberger AC
Number 18
Youth career
1995–2006 Sturm Graz
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2008 SK Sturm Graz II 25 (1)
2008–2012 Austria Lustenau 89 (6)
2012 Grazer AK 10 (4)
2012–2014 SV Grödig 63 (7)
2014–2016 Austria Wien 26 (0)
2016–2017 St. Gallen 14 (1)
2017– Wolfsberger AC 179 (12)
International career
2009 Austria U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 December 2023

Mario Leitgeb (born 30 June 1988) is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Austrian Bundesliga club Wolfsberger AC. He has one appearance for the Austrian under-21 team.

Club career

Early career

Leitgeb started his career in the Styrian capital, playing for Sturm Graz. He played in the club's academy until 2006, where he was promoted to the reserve team. Between 2006 and 2008, Leitgeb played 25 matches for the reserves, scoring one goal. In 2008, he was picked up by SC Austria Lustenau from the second division. Leitgeb made his debut in the second division on 11 July 2008, in a 2–0 away loss to SV Grödig. In the second round of the regular season he made an own goal. During his time in Lustenau, he picked up 89 league appearances and made 10 additional appearances in the Austrian Cup. In the 36th minute of his first cup appearance, a match against FC Wels on 14 August 2008, he scored his first goal for the club. Austria Lustenau, however, lost 5–4 in a penalty shootout.

Leitgeb (white shirt) during a match against SC Wiener Neustadt (2013)

In the January transfer window of the 2011–12 season, Leitgeb was signed by Grazer AK, but left by mutual consent after only six months after the club failed to reach promomotion to the Austrian Bundesliga. Instead, he continued his career with SV Grödig, where he played 63 league matches in two seasons. On 12 June 2014, Leitgeb signed a three-year contract with Austria Wien for an undisclosed fee.

After initially having signed a precontract with former club Sturm Graz in January 2016,[1] Leitgeb joined Swiss club FC St. Gallen on a six-month contract.[2]

Wolfsberger AC

In January 2017 Leitgeb returned to Austria, signing with Bundesliga-side Wolfsberger AC on a one-and-a-half year deal. He signed a two-year contract extension with the club on 29 March 2019.[3] On 19 September 2019, Leitgeb made his European debut in a UEFA Europa League group stage away match against German club Borussia Mönchengladbach. In what was described as a "miracle", he scored two headers against a passive Mönchengladbach-defense and thereby became a vital part in Wolfsberger's 4–0 thrashing.[4][5]

References

  1. ↑ Leitgeb wettert gegen Sturm-Manager, retrieved on 19 September 2019
  2. ↑ Mario Leitgeb wechselt zu St. Gallen skysportaustria.at, 12 February 2016, retrieved on 19 September 2019
  3. ↑ "Mario Leitgeb verlängert Vertrag beim WAC um weitere zwei Jahre!". Ligaportal. Wolfsberg. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  4. ↑ "EL-Wunder: WAC düpiert Gladbach und siegt sensationell 4:0". www.derstandard.at. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  5. ↑ "0:4 zum Auftakt! Gladbach blamiert sich gegen den WAC". www.kicker.de. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
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