Michael Svoboda
_62_(Michael_Svoboda).jpg) Svoboda with WSG Tirol in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 15 October 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Vienna, Austria | ||
| Height | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | ||
| Position | Centre-back[1] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Brighton & Hove Albion | ||
| Number | 30 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2005 | KSV Ankerbrot | ||
| 2005–2006 | Rapid Wien | ||
| 2006–2016 | SV Schwechat | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016 | SV Schwechat | 3 | (0) |
| 2016–2018 | FC Stadlau | 42 | (3) |
| 2018–2020 | WSG Tirol | 57 | (5) |
| 2020–2026 | Venezia | 127 | (5) |
| 2026– | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2024– | Austria | 4 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 2 July 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 31 March 2026 | |||
Michael Svoboda (born 15 October 1998) is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion and the Austria national team.[2]
Club career
Early career
Svoboda started his career at SV Schwechat, before joining FC Stadlau in 2016. On 23 May 2018, Svoboda joined 2. Liga side WSG Tirol.[3]
Venezia
On 20 August 2020, Svoboda signed a three-year contract with Serie B club Venezia.[4] He made his debut for the club on 14 November 2020, in a 2–0 win against Virtus Entella.[5] He scored his first goal for the club on 4 January 2021, in a 1–1 draw with Pisa.[6]
On 10 July 2024, Svoboda signed a new two-year contract with the club.[7]
Brighton & Hove Albion
On 2 July 2026, Svoboda joined English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[8][9]
International career
Svoboda made his debut for the Austria national team on 10 October 2024 in a UEFA Nations League game against Kazakhstan at the Raiffeisen Arena. He substituted Gernot Trauner in the 62nd minute, as Austria won 4–0.[10]
On 18 May 2026, Svoboda was selected in Ralf Rangnick’s 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking Austria’s first appearance in the tournament since 1998.[11]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 8 May 2026
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Schwechat | 2015–16[2] | Regionalliga Ost | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Stadlau | 2016–17[2] | Regionalliga Ost | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||
| 2017–18[2] | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 32 | 2 | |||||
| Total | 42 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 43 | 3 | |||||
| WSG Tirol | 2018–19[2] | 2. Liga | 26 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 28 | 4 | |||
| 2019–20[2] | Austrian Bundesliga | 31 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 57 | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 62 | 5 | |||||
| Venezia | 2020–21[2] | Serie B | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 4[b] | 0 | 25 | 1 | ||
| 2021–22[2] | Serie A | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 21 | 0 | ||||
| 2022–23[2] | Serie B | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1[b] | 0 | 23 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24[2] | Serie B | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 23 | 0 | ||||
| 2024–25[2] | Serie A | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | ||||
| 2025–26[2] | Serie B | 29 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 30 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 127 | 5 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | 139 | 5 | ||||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2026–27[12] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 229 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 247 | 13 | ||
- ↑ Includes Austrian Cup, Coppa Italia
- 1 2 Appearance(s) in Serie B promotion play-offs
International
- As of match played 31 March 2026
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 2024 | 2 | 0 |
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 0 | |
Honours
WSG Tirol
Venezia
References
- ↑ Michael Svoboda at WorldFootball.net
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Michael Svoboda at Soccerway
- ↑ "Svoboda und Cabrera wechseln zur WSG" (in German). WSG Tirol. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- ↑ "Ufficiale: Michael Svoboda in arancioneroverde" (Press release) (in Italian). Venezia. 20 August 2020.
- ↑ "Virtus Entella 0–2 Venezia". ESPN. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- ↑ "Venezia 1–1 Pisa". ESPN. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- ↑ "Michael Svoboda renews his contract". Venezia FC. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- ↑ "Michael Svoboda signs for Albion from Venezia". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. 2 July 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
- ↑ "Brighton sign Austria defender Svoboda from Venezia". BBC Sport. 2 July 2026. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
- ↑ "Austria v Kazakhstan game report". ESPN. 10 October 2024.
- ↑ "Alaba, Arnautovic feature as Austria name World Cup squad". FIFA. 18 May 2026. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
- ↑ "Games played by Michael Svoboda in 2026/2027". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
External links
- Michael Svoboda at ÖFB (in German)
- Michael Svoboda at ÖFB (in German) (national team)
- Michael Svoboda on Instagram
|  | |
- 1998 births
- Footballers from Vienna
- Living people
- Austrian people of Czech descent
- Men's association football defenders
- Austrian men's footballers
- Austria men's international footballers
- Austrian Football Bundesliga players
- 2. Liga (Austria) players
- Serie A players
- Serie B players
- SV Schwechat players
- WSG Tirol players
- Venezia FC players
- Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players
- Austrian expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
- Austrian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- Expatriate men's footballers in England
- Austrian expatriate sportspeople in England
- 21st-century Austrian sportsmen
- 2026 FIFA World Cup players
- Austrian football defender, 1990s birth stubs