Nicolas Seiwald

Nicolas Seiwald emerged through the Red Bull system at Salzburg — where the pressing demands are among the most rigorous in European football — before earning a move to RB Leipzig in 2023. A combative, intelligent defensive midfielder, he screens the back four effectively and is comfortable receiving the ball under pressure and recycling possession quickly. Still only 25, he has already become a key figure in Ralf Rangnick's Austria midfield, often partnering Xaver Schlager to form one of the more cohesive central pairings the national team has fielded in years.