Raphael Kofler is keeping the South Tyrolean flag flying high in Serie A.

GRAPHIC | All South Tyrolean professional footballers at a glance

FC Südtirol has long since become a springboard for young locals into professional football. Every single current professional footballer from South Tyrol played for the club – at least for a time – during their youth.

August 21, 2026

From: cst

Manuel DeLuca Simon Laner was the last South Tyrolean footballer to play a match in Serie A. On August 29, 2025, the Pfattner native played for Cremonese for eight minutes and even scored the winning goal – but was subsequently dropped without mercy and never even made the squad again. Thus, Simon Laner remains the last South Tyrolean professional to have had a decent run in Serie A. But that was over ten years ago.

Now it is fitting Raphael Kofler – the most expensive South Tyrolean footballer of all time – is aiming to conquer Serie A. He has already made his debut for Cagliari in the Italian Cup. The league opener in Parma is scheduled for Saturday at 8:45 pm. It's quite possible that the 21-year-old defender from Rabland will then make his debut in the Italian top flight.

But Kofler is the exception. Because with the previous FCS youth player Renato Halili – captain of the FCS U19 team last year – there is only one other player from South Tyrol playing in a top league. The Albanian U21 international from Mals is under contract with FK Vora in Albania.

High transfer fees for South Tyrolean professionals

There have been some changes among the South Tyrolean Serie B professionals over the summer months. The Val Gardena player David Wieser has stayed in Mantova, while De Luca has returned to Cremonese. Emanuele Zuelli and Simone Zanon Two South Tyrolean players have moved to new clubs for high transfer fees. Bolzano midfielder Zuelli left Carrarese for Padua for €1,8 million. And Zanon will cost his new club Pisa around €1,6 million – once the obligation to buy kicks in after a year's loan.

Lorenzo Sgarbi He is no longer a Serie B professional. The Bolzano native moved from his boyhood club Napoli to Sambenedettese in the summer after failing to establish himself in Italy's second division. The attacking player is one of seven South Tyroleans in Serie C. Two of them are goalkeepers. Daniel Theiner (Forli) and Simon Harasser (Barbian).

Heinz and Sinn with new clubs

At 35 years old Manuel Fischnler The oldest South Tyrolean professional footballer. The striker from Signat is a guarantee of success in Serie C. Last year he scored an impressive 19 goals, split between Trapani and Ravenna. At the beginning of August, Fischnaller's contract was extended until 2028.

Even at 35, veteran Manuel Fischnaller hasn't had enough.

New clubs have the defenders Jonas Heinz and Luke SinnThe player from Naturns has signed with Salernitana, thus remaining in Campania after most recently playing for Casertana. Sinn, on the other hand, has moved to Lecco to join former FCS coach Federico Valente. Both were in the starting lineup for the opening match of the Italian Cup. The last South Tyrolean among the Serie C professionals is... Elion TociThe man from Merano has stayed with Dolomiti Bellunesi.

Straudi and Lechl are trying their luck abroad

Simon Straud and Adrian Lechl They are under contract in German-speaking countries abroad. Lüsner in particular – Lechl was born in 2004 – has had a remarkable career. With Wacker Innsbruck, he achieved promotion twice within two years, rising from the fourth division to the second division of Austrian football.

Straudi, on the other hand, is also on the upswing after some difficult years. Over 30.000 spectators recently watched Dynamo Dresden's 1-0 home win against Darmstadt in the 2. Bundesliga. Straudi transferred from Energie Cottbus to the traditional club and eight-time East German champions this summer.

There is currently no contract. Max Reinthaler, also a long-time player in Germany. The Algund native has been without a club since 1860 Munich's bankruptcy. While a move to the "new" Lions, who are restarting in the Regionalliga (fourth division), was discussed, nothing has materialized so far, and Reinthaler is therefore available on the market. With the village of Tyrolean goalkeeper Michele Marano (most recently SEF Torres, Serie C) is another South Tyrolean professional player without a contract.