Maximilian Wöber
A versatile and composed Austrian defender, equally adept at center-back or left-back, known for his intelligent positioning and crisp passing from the back.
Born 1998 (age 28)·Austrian footballer·Birthday: February 4·Generation Z
Biography
Maximilian Wöber's career path reads like a tour of Europe's most demanding developmental leagues. The Vienna native came through the famed academy of Rapid Wien, earning a move to Spain's Sevilla as a teenager. Though opportunities there were limited, it began a journey of tactical education across the continent. A successful spell in the Netherlands with Ajax under Erik ten Hag was pivotal, immersing him in a philosophy centered on ball possession and defensive initiative. This foundation led him to the intense pressures of the German Bundesliga with Borussia Mönchengladbach and later to the physicality of the English Premier League with Leeds United. Wöber is not a defender defined by flashy tackles, but by anticipation, left-footed elegance, and the ability to slot into multiple roles across the backline. A stalwart for the Austrian national team, his value lies in his reliability and tactical intelligence, making him a manager's favorite for building play from defense.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Maximilian was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Maximilian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Maximilian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
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
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Captained the Austria national team on multiple occasions, including during UEFA Euro 2024 qualification.
- Won the Eredivisie title and the KNVB Cup with Ajax Amsterdam in the 2020-21 season.
- Played every minute of Austria's group stage campaign at UEFA Euro 2020.
Did You Know?
He played as a left-winger in his youth before being converted into a defender during his time at Sevilla.
He speaks four languages: German, English, Spanish, and Dutch.
He made his UEFA Champions League debut for Ajax in a group stage match against Liverpool in 2020.
“You have to be ready for every challenge, to adapt and prove yourself again.”
