Laura Wienroither - Euro 2022 - Make Your Mark

90min's Make Your Mark series gets to the heart of what made footballers the players they are today.

Be it a family member, a coach, a team or a personality trait, someone or something down the line has been particularly key in a player's journey into professional football.

Ahead of Euro 2022, Austria and Arsenal defender Laura Wienroither sat down with 90min as part of UEFA Together We Play Strong's #PlayAnywhere series with Visa to discuss who or what has made the most influential mark on her career.

My parents

"I would say my parents. My dad was my first coach when I was a child. Sometimes we argued a bit but now we can laugh about it! But also my mum; both of them really supported me and still support me a lot. I feel like they watched every game and also now they just want to see every game.

"Obviously now it's harder because there's distance between us, but these two are my biggest supporters."

Gabor Gallai

"I would say my biggest development I had [was] in Hoffenheim with Gabor Gallai, who was my coach for almost three years. I think he's a really good person but also good with the football stuff, so I've really learnt a lot from him.

"I feel like he's really good in technical and tactical stuff. He really works with details and I feel like he has a big understanding of football and just wants to show the players this understanding; that you can just make quicker decisions and it's easier to take decisions on the field.

"Also now our coach in the national team [Irene Fuhrmann]. I feel like over the last two years I've had a big development as a football player. I was really thankful for the opportunity that I could play some 90 minute games, and I just felt like she trusted me. I just want to give her the trust back."

Hoffenheim

"I had my first professional game in the Bundesliga. It's a completely different style of football than it is in Austria. I feel like I moved to Hoffenheim when I was younger, and then I grew up in Hoffenheim as an adult. So I had my first games as a professional footballer and it had a really big impact for me.

"The whole club was very professional, and I think also the quality of players and the whole league was a lot bigger than it was in Austria.

"It was a big decision [moving to Hoffenheim at the age of 20]. It was easy because in Germany there's the same language as there is in Austria, but still as a young girls it's the first time you've been away from home, but I'm glad there were two other Austrian players in Hoffenheim so I wasn't alone. I think that's easier - you do not feel alone."

Tabea Wassmuth

"I played with Tabea Wassmuth and it's always hard to play against her because you always have to be your best when you play against her. I feel like this was good for my development to play against her in every training session."

The 2021/22 season

"I feel like the last season with Hoffenheim where we played in the Champions League. I think we surprised everyone by being in the Champions League, and then I got the opportunity to join Arsenal in the winter, so I feel like this was probably my most important season in my career."

Euro 2022?

"I think England is the perfect place to host the Women's Euros. I feel like the people are very open minded about women's football, so I think that's good.

"Women's football in Austria is growing up. I feel like we just want to be a role model for younger players now. We just want to leave our heart on the pitch and we just want to reach a lot of Austrian hearts and make them happy."

Laura Wienroither recently starred in UEFA Together WePlayStrong’s #PlayAnywhere series which showcases that all roads can lead to the top level of the women’s game. In partnership with Visa, Laura teamed up with Vicky Losada and Nikita Parris as the players were given the platform to discuss their journey’s from aspiring footballers to players competing on the global stage. You can watch the #PlayAnywhere series here.