Erwin Hoffer
An Austrian striker whose explosive pace and clinical finishing made him a fan favorite and a key figure in the national team's Euro 2008 campaign.
Born 1987 (age 39)·Austrian footballer·Birthday: April 14·Millennials
Biography
Erwin 'Jimmy' Hoffer's football story is one of a rapid, thrilling ascent followed by a career spent chasing that initial high. He announced himself to Austria with a sensational season at Rapid Vienna, where his goal-scoring prowess earned him the league's top scorer award and a move to Italy's Napoli. Hoffer's greatest moment came on the international stage, where he was a central part of the Austrian co-hosted Euro 2008 squad, embodying the nation's hopeful spirit. His club journey, however, became a nomadic tour of Europe—from Germany to Belgium and back to Austria—marked by flashes of brilliance but never quite recapturing the sustained dominance of his early years. He retired as a player whose name still evokes the exciting, if sometimes fleeting, promise of Austrian football in the late 2000s.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Erwin was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Erwin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Erwin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Finished as the Austrian Football Bundesliga's top scorer in the 2006–07 season with 22 goals for Rapid Vienna.
- Represented Austria as a key striker in the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament, which the country co-hosted.
- Scored on his debut for the Austrian national team in a 2007 friendly against Scotland.
- Won the Austrian Cup twice, in 2005 with Austria Wien and in 2019 with RB Salzburg (as a backup player).
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Jimmy' was given to him by a youth coach who thought he resembled actor Jim Carrey.
He scored a hat-trick in his final match for Rapid Vienna before his transfer to Napoli in 2007.
He played for clubs in five different countries: Austria, Italy, Germany, Belgium, and Denmark.
After retiring, he became a co-owner and sporting director of FC Marchfeld Donauauen in the Austrian lower leagues.
“I am always ready when the coach calls my name to score.”
