Yusuf Demir: Profile, Expert Analysis, Tactical Overview & Video

Yusuf Demir: Profile

Name: Yusuf Demir

Date of birth: Jun 02, 2003

Nationality: Austria

Position: Forward

Height: 1.73m

Yusuf Demir: Introduction

Born in Vienna, Yusuf Demir is a burgeoning star from Austria, a nation which keeps surprising its European peers with the talent it produces throughout the club’s academies. Rapid Vienna have produced a quick, technical and clinical forward who has the versatility to operate across the front line.

Yusuf Demir: Background

Yusuf Demir’s footballing journey began in Austria’s oldest club First Vienna. Joining in 2010, Demir left the club who have dropped to the lower tiers of the nation’s league since their inception. He joined Austrian Bundesliga side Rapid Vienna in 2013, progressing through their youth system and eventually into their second team.

Like Red Bull Salzburg with FC Liefering, Rapid have their own second string side simply named Rapid Vienna II. Playing in the third tier of Austrian leagues, Demir quickly caught the eye of the first team management and in 2019 was promoted to the senior.

In the same year he signed a new contract at just 15 years-of-age keeping him at the club until 2022. This was much down to his notoriety gaining exposure at the under-19 6-a-side Junior Cup in Germany and his performances in the Austrian youth side.

Der sehenswerter Freistoßtreffer von Yusuf Demir zum zwischenzeitlichen 1:1 gegen Portugal – Stark! 💥💥💥 #U15 #ÖFB2018 pic.twitter.com/SN7nQc2q77

— ÖFB – oefb.at (@oefb1904) April 27, 2018

Upon signing he said, “I am very proud that I was able to extend my contract and hope to be able to take my next steps here. I love this club, a childhood dream is coming true for me.”

Rapid Vienna II coach Steffen Hofmann said, “He has incredible potential, he is a player like I have never seen him at this age It’s a great pleasure to watch him play football, even with every training session you can see from the first second what an extraordinary player he is. He’s a real ´kicker´ with outstanding technique and a great left foot.”

Austria have been a nation which has grown in international notoriety with the likes of David Alaba, Marko Arnautovic and Marcel Sabitzer. Yusuf Demir could soon become the next Austrian star to continue the nation’s rise.

Expert insight on Yusuf Demir

Tweets by FM_Austria

“Yusi, his nickname, is one of the biggest talents Austria have at the moment and maybe one of the biggest we have ever had. His best skills are for sure his vision, his first touch, his ball control and his technique.

He can dribble with the ball at top speed and keep the ball very tight to his feet. Yusi is mostly playing as a false nine but he also can switch to the sides. He is not a typical winger, he is more a type to stay near the number 10.

He likes to make the cut from the right side inside the open field and try to use his powerful left foot with distance shots on goal. But, he can also play the direct ball between the defensive line and the strikers to open chances for them.

He is very young and so he is not at the top of his game yet. No, he is far away from reaching his full potential. But I am sure, he will do the next step to a bigger club very soon and there he can reach his huge potential.

I do not like to hype him too much, the media have done this for a long time, but he deserves to get a platform in football. He can change the game in every minute. His presence on the field, at the age of 17, is outstanding. Every player in his team is profiting from his creativity and his calmness on the ball.”

Tactical Overview of Yusuf Demir

Yusuf Demir’s role when playing as an inverted winger leads him to follow that of other players of similar style. Football fans will be familiar with how Arjen Robben was famous for his ability to consistently cut inside, angling the ball onto his deadly left foot before curling an effort round the keeper. Demir uses this technique well to manipulate space and strike when the time arises.

However, these opportunities are not the only types which Demir can find. His quick feet, excellent speed and low centre of gravity allow the Austrian forward to open spaces for himself on either side of the pitch and his composed finishing allows him to take these opportunities.

Demir’s passing is also an asset of the Austrian. When operating from the left, he can cross the ball into the box whilst at full stride and effective on counter attacks. Whereas on the right, the less capable right foot is often outvoted by the option to cut back. Or, Demir can choose to play incisive passes between the lines to find teammates and split defences.

Yusuf Demir has the potential to become a potent finisher from several positions across the front line. He has displayed from an exceptionally young age the composure of a player well beyond his years at the senior domestic and European level. There are elements of his game that need refining such as his defensive work and consistent final passing product but the ceiling for Demir is very high.