Known as “The Paper Man,” his unique style and fight for justice inspired generations
Matthias Sindelar Born on 10 February 1903 in Kozlov, a small town in Moravia, in what is now the Czech Republic, he came from a humble family, his father worked as a bricklayer and his mother was a homemaker. His childhood was spent in difficult conditions, marked by poverty and the social tensions that defined Europe. Central at the beginning of the 20th century. The family moved to Favoriten, a working-class district in Vienna, where Matthias grew up among factories, grey streets and children who, like him, dreamed of something more than the monotonous days of the neighbourhood.
From a young age, Sindelar showed a special fascination for football. The streets of his neighbourhood became his first stadium, where he played with improvised balls made of rags. He was an agile child, with a unique vision of the game and a seemingly innate ability to dodge rivals. It was in those early years that he developed his style, the one that would later make him famous, characterised by its finesse and precision.
At the age of fifteen, Matthias entered the Hertha Vienna, a modest club that recognized his talent. But fate had bigger plans for him. Soon after, he joined FK Austria, Vienna, where he would begin to forge his legend. This team, associated with the Viennese Jewish middle class, was a cultural as well as a sporting venue.There, Sindelar began to dazzle fans with an elegant and effective game that quickly led to him being recognised as a key figure in Austrian football.
The nickname The Paperwork (“The Paper Man”) was born in those early years. His slim frame and ability to glide between defenders made him seem intangible. Fans idolized him; rivals feared him. Matthias was not just a player, he was a football artist.
His technical ability, tactical intelligence and ability to read the game put him in a class of his own. As he told The Guardian, Critic Alfred Polgar said: “His goals were like the perfect ending to a story, the ending that gave meaning to everything.”
In the 1920s, Sindelar established himself as one of the stars of FK Austria Vienna, leading the team to national titles and achieving notable international projection. In 1933, he led the club to victory in the Mitropa Cup, a tournament that brought together the best teams in Central Europe. That victory, against Ambrosiana Milan, marked a milestone in the history of Austrian football. Three years later, they would repeat the feat by defeating Slavia Prague in the final.
His talent did not go unnoticed by the national team. In 1926, he made his debut for Austria in a match against Czechoslovakia, scoring a decisive goal in a 2-1 victory. Matthias quickly became the linchpin of the team known as the Wunderteam (Wonder Team), which under the direction of Hugo Meisl and the influence of English coach Jimmy Hogan, dominated European football during the first half of the 1930s.
Between 1931 and 1934, Austria put together a series of impressive victories, most notably a 5-0 win over Scotland, considered one of the strongest teams of the time. The culmination of this period came with their participation in the 1934 World in Italy. The team reached the semi-finals and was eliminated by the host country in a controversial match. Sindelar, who had been subject to harsh fouls during the match, was left scarred by the loss. Despite this, his performance in the tournament solidified his reputation as one of the best players in the world.
Matthias's football was celebrated as an art form. The Viennese coffee houses, where Strauss's music and Sindelar's plays were discussed with equal passion, elevated him to the status of a cultural icon. Despite offers from big European clubs, including Manchester UnitedMatthias decided to stay in Austria. He lived in a modest apartment with his mother and led a simple life, far from the luxuries that might have tempted him under other circumstances.
But dark times were coming. In 1938, after the annexation of Austria by Germany Nazi, the country was absorbed into the Third Reich. Football was not exempt from political influence. FK Austria Vienna, like other clubs associated with the Jewish community, was dismantled, and many of its players and directors were persecuted or forced into exile. Matthias refused to collaborate with the regime. He refused to play for the German national team, despite pressure from the government. His firm stance made him a symbol of resistance silent.
On 3 April 1938, Matthias played his last match for the Austrian national team in a friendly against Germany, an event organised by the Nazis as a propaganda gesture. In the first half, the Austrian team avoided scoring goals, obeying implicit orders. But in the second half, Sindelar scored a goal and celebrated with a dance in front of the box where the high-ranking officials of the regime were sitting. Shortly afterwards, his teammate Karl Sesta sealed the victory with a free kick, defying the imposed script. That day, the Prater stadium witnessed not just a match, but a act of defiance against the regime.
After that match, Sindelar left professional football. He bought a café in Vienna from a Jewish owner who had been dispossessed of his property. Although he paid a fair price, the business came under Gestapo surveillance. Matthias continued to defy the rules by maintaining his friendships with members of the Jewish community. According to reports at the time, he was considered “not sympathetic” to the Nazi regime.
On January 23, 1939, Matthias and his partner, Camilla Castagnola, were found dead in their apartment. The official cause of death was poisoning by carbon monoxide due to a faulty chimney. However, the circumstances of his death raised questions. Some pointed to the possibility of a murder orchestrated by the Gestapo; others suggested suicide motivated by desperation in the face of the political situation. The case was never solved.
More than 20.000 people attended his funeral, an event that turned into a veiled protest against the Nazi regime. According to The GuardianAlfred Polgar, in his obituary, wrote: “Sindelar was the soul of Vienna, and when Vienna died, he had to die with it.”