Simon Piesinger

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Simon Piesinger

| image = Ebreichsdorf_vs._SK_Sturm_Graz_2015-10-27_(049).jpg

| caption = Piesinger in 2015

| fullname =

| birth_place = Linz, Austria

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|05|13|df=y}}

| height = 1.96 m{{cite web |title=Simon Piesinger |url=https://rzpelletswac.at/players/simon-piesinger/ |website=RZ Pellets WAC |access-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824050459/https://rzpelletswac.at/players/simon-piesinger/ |archive-date=24 August 2022 |language=de-DE}}

| position = Centre-back, defensive midfielder

| currentclub = Wolfsberger AC

| clubnumber = 8

| youthyears1 = 1998–2006| youthclubs1 = SK St. Magdalena

| youthyears2 = 2006–2010| youthclubs2 = LASK

| years1 = 2010–2011 | clubs1 = LASK (A) | caps1 = 21 | goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2011–2012 | clubs2 = Blau-Weiß Linz | caps2 = 28 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2012–2014 | clubs3 = Wacker Innsbruck | caps3 = 43 | goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2013–2014 | clubs4 = Wacker Innsbruck II | caps4 = 5 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2014–2017 | clubs5 = Sturm Graz | caps5 = 60 | goals5 = 11

| years6 = 2017–2019 | clubs6 = Rheindorf Altach | caps6 = 34 | goals6 = 2

| years7 = 2019–2022 | clubs7 = Randers | caps7 = 84 | goals7 = 4

| years8 = 2022– | clubs8 = Wolfsberger AC | caps8 = 78 | goals8 = 5

| nationalyears1 = 2012–2014

| nationalteam1 = Austria U21

| nationalcaps1 = 11

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| pcupdate = 11 June 2025

}}

Simon Piesinger (born 13 May 1992) is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Austrian Bundesliga club Wolfsberger AC.

Club career

Piesinger, whose father is former professional footballer Gerald Piesinger, started playing football with his twin brother Markus at SK St. Magdalena.{{cite news |last1=Klimkeit |first1=Peter |title=Sk Sturm: Simon Piesinger: Sympathisch und ruhig – aber gefährlich |url=https://www.kleinezeitung.at/sport/fussball/oesterreich/bundesliga/sksturm/4615987/Sk-Sturm_Simon-Piesinger_Sympathisch-und-ruhig-aber-gefaehrlich |access-date=8 April 2023 |work=Kleine Zeitung |date=10 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408170336/https://www.kleinezeitung.at/sport/fussball/oesterreich/bundesliga/sksturm/4615987/Sk-Sturm_Simon-Piesinger_Sympathisch-und-ruhig-aber-gefaehrlich |archive-date=8 April 2023 |language=de}} From 2006 to 2010, he played for the Football Academy Linz and also for the youth teams of LASK. He then started his professional career with LASK Linz Juniors playing in the Austrian Regional League. He afterwards moved to Blau-Weiß Linz to play in the Austrian Football First League. In the summer of 2012, he was transferred to Austrian Bundesliga side FC Wacker Innsbruck. On 10 July 2014, he signed with SK Sturm Graz.{{cite web|title=Sturm Graz verpflichtet Simon Piesinger|url=http://www.sturm12.at/kurzmeldung/sturm-graz-verpflichtet-simon-piesinger/|accessdate=12 September 2014|ref=sturm12.at|language=German}}

In June 2019, Piesinger signed a two-year contract with Danish Superliga club Randers FC.{{cite web|title=Randers FC henter Simon Piesinger|url=https://www.randersfc.dk/randers-fc-henter-simon-piesinger/|accessdate=25 June 2019|ref=randersfc.dk|language=Danish}} During the 2020–21 season, Randers achieved a significant milestone in their history by securing a place in the championship playoffs of the Danish Superliga via a fifth-place finish in the regular season. Moreover, the club claimed victory in the Danish Cup after defeating SønderjyskE 4–0 in the final at Ceres Park in Aarhus, with Piesinger contributing with a goal.{{cite news |last1=Kjær |first1=Christian |title=Randers ydmyger SønderjyskE og er pokalmester |url=https://sport.tv2.dk/fodbold/2021-05-13-randers-ydmyger-soenderjyske-og-er-pokalmester |access-date=8 April 2023 |work=TV 2 Sport |date=13 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408141416/https://sport.tv2.dk/fodbold/2021-05-13-randers-ydmyger-soenderjyske-og-er-pokalmester |archive-date=8 April 2023 |language=da-DK}} On 14 June 2021, he extended his contract until 2023.{{cite web |last1=Fredslund |first1=Kristian |title=Simon Piesinger forlænger |url=https://www.randersfc.dk/nyheder-superliga/2021/juni-2021/simon-piesinger-forlaenger |website=Randers FC |access-date=6 June 2022 |language=da |date=14 June 2021}}

On 3 June 2022, Randers announced that they had sold Piesinger to Wolfsberger AC, marking his return to Austria.{{cite web |last1=Andersen |first1=Kristian Fredslund |title=Simon Piesinger solgt til Wolfsberger AC |url=https://www.randersfc.dk/nyheder-superliga/2022/juni-2022/simon-piesinger-solgt-til-wolfsberger-ac |website=Randers FC |access-date=6 June 2022 |language=da |date=3 June 2022}} He signed a three-year contract.{{cite web |title=Defensiv-Verstärkung {{!}} RZ Pellets WAC |url=https://www.rzpelletswac.at/2022/06/03/defensiv-verstaerkung-2/ |website=Wolfsberger AC |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603123610/https://www.rzpelletswac.at/2022/06/03/defensiv-verstaerkung-2/ |archive-date=3 June 2022 |language=de-DE |date=3 June 2022 |url-status=live}}

International career

He made his debut for the Austria under-21 team in 2012.

Style of play

Piesinger started his career as a defensive midfielder, and during his time at Sturm Graz he was described someone with his strengths being his ability to pass the ball with precision, his tireless work ethic, and his leadership qualities. After joining Randers in 2019, he was increasingly utilised as a centre-back under head coach Thomas Thomasberg in a four-man defense next to Erik Marxen.{{cite news |last1=Hoffskov |first1=Ole |title=Randers FC hentede en midtbanespiller, men har nu en midtstopper |url=https://www.tipsbladet.dk/nyhed/superliga/randers-fc-hentede-en-midtbanespiller-men-har-nu-en-midtstopper |access-date=8 April 2023 |work=Tipsbladet |date=9 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023081827/https://www.tipsbladet.dk/nyhed/superliga/randers-fc-hentede-en-midtbanespiller-men-har-nu-en-midtstopper |archive-date=23 October 2020 |language=da}}