Johannes Handl

Johannes Handl is an Austrian centre-back born in Graz on 7 May 1998. He began his development with SV Frohnleiten before entering the SK Sturm Graz academy, where he made 15 reserve-team appearances in the Regionalliga Mitte between 2014 and 2017. In 2017, Handl moved to SV Lafnitz and recorded 35 appearances as he continued his progression in senior football. He joined Wacker Innsbruck in January 2019, featuring mainly for the second team and scoring once in 10 matches. Austria Vienna signed Handl in July 2019, and he has since become a regular defender for the club, surpassing 100 appearances. At 1.96 metres, Johannes Handl offers a strong aerial presence and is primarily used centrally, though he has also covered defensive midfield and right-back. His career has included a right-knee collateral-ligament injury in 2024 and a later viral infection, setbacks that interrupted his development.