The Athlete’s Playlist: Michael Gspurning

We sat down with former Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Michael Gspurning to discuss his favorite music and globetrotting career. From playing top-flight soccer in the U.S., Greece, and Austria to coaching in the Bundesliga, Gspurning’s journey is as impressive and expansive as any we’ve had on the show.

The fan-favorite breaks down how a German post-punk band gave him confidence as a youth player, the delights and frights of Greece’s Super League 1, what makes MLS a one-of-a-kind league, and the historic rise of his current club, Union Berlin.

Beyond telling insane stories such as fans throwing darts at him in Greece and Union Berlin’s connection to Stasi police protests in East Gemany, Gspurning offers sage advice to young and old alike on how to always make the most of life. Give the episode a listen and maybe, like us, you’ll have a new Bundesliga team to root for when German soccer starts up again this weekend.

You can download the whole episode here. Get it delivered to you through these links: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | Google | iHeart

Timestamps:

Start-18:00: Importance of Falco to Austrian music // Breaking into professional soccer as a teenager

18:00-33:30: Finding confidence as a pro // Raining darts, cell phones, and beer bottles on the pitch // Beaches and warm hospitality in Greece

34:30-50:00: Becoming a Sounder with the help of “Pumped Up Kids” // Super League Greece versus M.L.S. // Learning the definition of “playoff monkey”

50:00-End: Coaching at Union Berlin // Life at a “rebel club” // A historic promotion push

*Kokkini Karta by Goin’ Through is sadly not available on Spotify, but you can check out the full song here.