.jpg) Stefan playing for PAOK in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1990-09-27)27 September 1990 (age 35) | ||
| Place of birth | Saalfelden, Austria | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Holstein Kiel | ||
| Number | 22 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2004 | 1. Saalfeldner SK | ||
| 2004–2009 | Red Bull Salzburg | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2011 | Red Bull Salzburg | 0 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | →Lustenau (loan) | 21 | (6) |
| 2011 | →Admira Wacker (loan) | 12 | (4) |
| 2011–2014 | Admira Wacker | 90 | (15) |
| 2014–2020 | Rapid Wien | 186 | (41) |
| 2020–2025 | PAOK | 158 | (23) |
| 2025– | Holstein Kiel | 8 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2009 | Austria U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 2009 | Austria U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2010–2012 | Austria U21 | 17 | (0) |
| 2017 | Austria | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16 June 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 14 November 2017 | |||
Stefan Schwab (German pronunciation:[ˈʃtɛfanˈʃvaːp][1]or[-faːn-];[2] born 27 September 1990) is an Austrian professionalfootballer who plays as amidfielder for German2. Bundesliga clubHolstein Kiel.[3]
Swab was born in Saalfenten on 27 September 1990. From an early age he enjoyed sports, and, in addition to football, he was involved inbiathlon, skiing, andski jumping. His love for football prevailed, and at the age of 13 he decided to dedicate himself there entirely.
Initially in the local team and from the age of 14 at the Salzburg Academies, where he stayed from 2004 to 2011, reaching in 2009 the Second Team with which he played in the second division of theAustrian Football Bundesliga, while he also participated in training sessions of the first team. In 2010 he was loaned toLustenau and counted 24 appearances, six goals and seven assists. He returned but did not stay long, as he left with a new loan forAdmira Wacker, with whom he celebrated his rise in the big category.
Admira Wacker activated the purchase option entered into the loan agreement and Swab moved there permanently. He stayed at the club until 2014 and took a leading role from the beginning and many responsibilities within the four lines. He played in a total of 114 games, scored 20 goals, served another 14 and naturally aroused the interest of the bigger teams.
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In June 2014,Rapid Wien bought him fromAdmira Wacker for just 400,000 euros and finally found one of its leaders in his person for the next three years.Stefan took his place in the Starting XI from the beginning of theseason alongsideThanos Petsos making a perfect match together in the midfield for the club. Schwab at age 23 made overall 36 appearances scoring five goal and serving seven.Rapid Wien finished 2nd at the end of theleague behindRed Bull Salzburg and reached the quarter-finals of theAustrian Cup.
Good start at the beginning for the club in the league with six matches without losing and winning overAjax inChampions League Qualifying rounds, everything was great for Schwab and his club. Next Qualifying round withShakhtar Donetsk and the dream is over 1–0 lose inErnst-Happel-Stadion with massive fan support, was enough to break the spirit of the team. Next stopUEFA Europa League, very good come back for Stefan Schwab and theHütteldorfer in a very strong group stage finishing first and reaching the stage of 32.Valencia was the next opponent with two matches disaster for Rapid two loses and early exclusion. Sameseason for Rapid Wien finishing second again with no trophies but better performance for Stefan, making excellent appearances inAustria andEurope. Total 50 matches nine goals and six assist.
After three yearsZoran Barisic was no more forThe Green-Whites andMike Büskens was hired. On 7 November 2016, after a 0–1 defeat at home againstWolfsberger AC both managerMike Büskens and Director of FootballAndreas Müller were sacked.[4] Four days laterDamir Canadi was presented as the new manager, joining Rapid from league rivalSCR Altach.[5] On 11 December, Fredy Bickel was presented as the new Director of Football.[6] On 9 April 2017, after a 0–3 defeat inRied managerDamir Canadi was sacked and replaced by his former assistant coachesGoran Djuricin and Martin Bernhard until end of season.[7] Djuricin was later appointed as manager for the following season. It was a tough season for Rapid overall finishing 5th in the league and 3rd in the Europa League group stage. Schwab was for one more time stable and unreplaceable for his team with 39 appearances winning coaches trust and becoming captain of the club.
New start new beginning for Rapid,Goran Djuricin making a good season finishing 3th in the league and Stefan winning the top goalscorer award with 12 goals and 13 overall. In November 2017 Schwab was called to representAustria on a friendly match againstUruguay playing only for a minute entering the game as a sabtitute by German coachFranco Foda.
Record season for Stefan Schwab with 50 appearances and 4291 minutes of playing time in all competitions. Great comeback in Eureapean competition entering and promoting the group stage ofEuropa League but losing byInter in both Knockout games. A poor season forGoran Djuricin's club in the league, sacked after losing a game againstSt. Pölten by 2–0 inAllianz Stadion and replaced byDietmar Kühbauer signing a contract for the next upcoming years.
Stefan decided not to renew his contract with Rapid to search for a new challenge in his life.For one more season Schwab was one of the main protagonists besideTaxiarchis Fountas.Schwab in Rapid excelled in domestic and European competitions. He wore thecaptain's armband, played in 241 games, scored 51 goals and provided as many assists and even reached the National team of his country.[8]
On 1 August 2020,PAOK officially announced the signing of the Austrian midfielder on two-year contract, with an option for a third year.[9] On 5 November 2020, he scored in a 4–1 home win2020–21 UEFA Europa League group stage game againstPSV Eindhoven helping PAOK to increase the possibility of qualifying for the next phase of theUEFA Europa League.[10]Throughout theseason he was the key player in the center of the team. He played in a total of 48 games, offering 9 goals and 9 assists. In the final of the season, he celebrated theGreek Cup. PAOK facedOSFP and prevailed with a score of 2–1. Schwap played throughout the match, while he was the one who won the penalty with which PAOK opened the score.
On 12 August 2021, he scored in a crucial 2–0 home win game againstBohemian F.C., helping PAOK to qualify for the nextUEFA Europa Conference League play-off round.[11] On 9 December, he scored in a 2–0UEFA Europa Conference League home win game againstLincoln Red Imps, sealing the qualification of the club in the phase of knockout round play-offs, for the first time in the last five years.[12]
On 21 June 2025, Schwab signed with2. Bundesliga clubHolstein Kiel.[13]
Schwab got his first call up to the seniorAustria squad for aUEFA Euro 2016 qualifierLiechtenstein in October 2015.[14]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Red Bull Juniors | 2008-09 | Austrian First League | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 9 | 2 | |||
| 2009-10 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 22 | 4 | |||||
| Total | 29 | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | 31 | 6 | |||||
| Lustenau (loan) | 2010-11 | Austrian First League | 21 | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | 24 | 6 | |||
| Admira | 2010-11 | Austrian First League | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 4 | |||
| 2011-12 | Austrian Bundesliga | 27 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 4 | ||||
| 2012-13 | 33 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 4[b] | 1 | 39 | 8 | ||||
| 2013-14 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | 34 | 4 | |||||
| Total | 102 | 19 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 114 | 20 | ||||
| Rapid Wien | 2014-15 | Austrian Bundesliga | 30 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2[b] | 0 | 36 | 5 | ||
| 2015-16 | 36 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 50 | 9 | ||||
| 2016-17 | 27 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 7[b] | 2 | 39 | 9 | ||||
| 2017-18 | 31 | 12 | 3 | 1 | — | 34 | 13 | |||||
| 2018-19 | 32 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 12[b] | 2 | 50 | 6 | ||||
| 2019-20 | 30 | 8 | 2 | 1 | — | 32 | 9 | |||||
| Total | 186 | 41 | 24 | 5 | 31 | 5 | 241 | 51 | ||||
| PAOK | 2020-21 | Super League Greece | 24 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 9[c] | 1 | 9[d] | 3 | 48 | 9 |
| 2021-22 | 24 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 14[e] | 2 | 9[d] | 1 | 52 | 5 | ||
| 2022-23 | 21 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2[e] | 0 | 10[d] | 2 | 40 | 4 | ||
| 2023-24 | 23 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 15 | 3 | 10[d] | 4 | 54 | 10 | ||
| 2024-25 | 22 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 2[d] | 0 | 43 | 6 | ||
| Total | 114 | 13 | 28 | 4 | 55 | 7 | 40 | 10 | 237 | 34 | ||
| Career total | 452 | 83 | 65 | 11 | 90 | 13 | 40 | 10 | 647 | 117 | ||
Admira Wacker
PAOK