At the age of three, Julian Lechleitner got his first sweaty football shirt from a professional. The young Tyrolean now has 118 (!) “match-worn” dresses in his collection.
Others his age collect Matchbox cars, coins or stamps. But 10-year-old Julian Lechleitner from Schönwies loves football. At the latest when Aleksandar Djordjevic, a former SV Horn player, presented him with a jersey, his passion for all things leather was awakened. The young Tyrolean was just three years old at the time.
Impressive collection
Since then, the life of the young striker of FG Schönwies/Mils has revolved around the colorful jerseys of the ball magicians – preferably still bathed in sweat. Because Julian collects so-called “match-worn” jerseys, ie the original “underwear” worn by the pros in the game, which you can’t just buy in the fan shop. “In my collection I now have 118 such jerseys, nine pairs of goalkeeper gloves and three pairs of football boots,” says the Oberlander proudly.
In addition to numerous jerseys from WSG Tirol and Wacker Innsbruck, the 10-year-old has specialized in Austrian Bundesliga uniforms. In the 2019/20 season and last season, Julian was even able to get at least one “match-worn” jersey from each club.
But now there are also some international treasures, neatly arranged behind glass frames on the walls of the Lechleitner home. The future high school student received the warm-up jersey from ex-Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos, even two jerseys from Niklas Süle when he played for Bayern Munich, as well as the dress of Europa League winner Martin Hinteregger after a match with the Austrians thrown to the national team.
Top scorer Vrioni “ennobled” Julian with his brother
In addition to the jerseys, some encounters with the stars will also remain unforgettable. “When top scorer Giacomo Vrioni gives Julian the jersey and calls him ‘brother’, or Slovenian Žan Rogelj hands him his autographed shoes because he has already received the jersey, it’s really something special. The players can remember Julian and that makes him very proud,” reveals father Dominik, who, like mother Andrea and sister Leonie, is always there when his son is hunting for jerseys in Austria.
And what are the insider tips for getting sweaty dresses? “Cheeky, but never intrusive,” smile the Lechleitners.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
