Oliver Glasner is only the sixth Austrian after Ernst Happel, Max Merkel, Hermann Stessl, Ernst Dokupil, and Bela Guttmann to play in a European Cup final.
With his victory in the Europa League final against Glasgow Rangers, Glasner is only the second person after Happel to win a European cup.
In England, he also made red-and-white soccer history with Crystal Palace by winning the FA Cup.
But what is Oliver Glasner like in his private life? Where did he start out as a player and how much did he earn at Eintracht Frankfurt? And how an accident even saved his life!
Oliver Glasner’s origin & place of residence is Sachsenhausen
The Glasner family visits Oliver in Frankfurt as often as possible, and the coach’s biggest supporters are traveling to Seville for the Europa League final. Glasner himself also makes frequent trips to Riedau.
Oliver Glasner currently lives in Sachsenhausen in the Frankfurt-South district. There, he is extremely close to the people. He recently had dinner with a group of complete strangers.
“I was in an apple wine bar, a wonderful evening, all alone. They sat me down at a table. There were six people who work on the stock exchange, and suddenly I was right back in the thick of things,” says Glasner.
“I have a great apartment in Sachsenhausen with a view of the skyline. Everything I need is within five minutes: a bakery, a supermarket, a pizzeria.”
He also likes to whizz around on his e-scooter to do his shopping, chat to fans cheering on his team at the stadium on weekends, or travel across Europe. He even follows the Löwen Frankfurt’s rise to the DEL in style from the standing section.
After a year, Glasner has settled in Frankfurt and does not experience the city like someone whose career plan already has the next step in mind.
Oliver Glasner Profile
Oliver Glasner Children & Family
Although he cannot be with his family every day, Glasner is happy with how things are going at the moment. He says: “I am down-to-earth and humble. I am happy with the life I have. It’s not just about soccer.”
The Glasner family, consisting of Bettina and their three children, still lives in tranquil Riedau. Oliver and Bettina met when they were teenagers.
Oliver Glasner as a player: Beginnings as a libero
When Klaus Roitinger set off for Riedau 30 years ago, he had high expectations, but not this.
The coach of SV Ried had received a tip from a friend that a 17-year-old libero was making a name for himself there with strong performances. That player was Oliver Glasner.
In a position traditionally filled by players over 30, Glasner directed his much older teammates on the pitch so well that Roitinger could hardly believe his eyes. “I don’t remember how the game ended, but it was incredible,” Roitinger said in an interview with kicker magazine about his impressions at the time.
“I have a great family, everyone is healthy, and I have a circle of friends that doesn’t depend on sporting success.”
It didn’t take much persuasion to bring Glasner to Ried in 2004. With the exception of a one-year break at LASK in 2003/04, he played there until the end of his career in 2011.
After 410 games in the Bundesliga and 101 games in the second division, Oliver Glasner’s active career as a player came to an end.
Five days after retiring, the current coach of Eintracht Frankfurt was named honorary captain at SV Ried. Rarely has this honor been so well deserved.
Oliver Glasner accident – when his life suddenly changed
Who knows where Oliver Glasner would be today if the doctors and his wife hadn’t reacted so quickly on August 4, 2011. At the time, Glasner was preparing with SV Ried for the Europa League qualifier against Bröndby IF in Copenhagen.
After heading practice in the final training session, Glasner complained of dizziness and headaches. Doctors diagnosed a subdural hematoma between his brain and meninges.
Since Glasner was no longer responsive, his wife Bettina was called to give her consent for emergency surgery. She saved his life that day.
“I assume that the headers in training saved my life. Without them, the bleeding would not have been discovered,” says Glasner. At the age of 36, Oliver Glasner ended his career after this accident on the advice of doctors.
Coach Glasner – the path was clear
Even during his active career, Oliver Glasner always took a keen interest in his team’s tactics. So it was no surprise that he later decided to become a coach.
“I’ve known Oliver since he was 17 and had the privilege of coaching him for seven years. It was clear to me that he would make a great coach,” says Roitinger.
After stints at Red Bull Salzburg, Liefering, Ried, and LASK (second division champions), Oliver Glasner’s career took him to the German Bundesliga and VfL Wolfsburg.
View this post on Instagram
This was the first time in his professional career that Glasner had worked abroad. He led the “Wolves” to the Champions League, but the collaboration with VfL sporting director Jörg Schmadtke did not work out, so he moved to Eintracht Frankfurt.
With Eintracht Frankfurt, he promptly reached the Europa League final in his first year – and won it. However, after the 2022/23 season, his time at Eintracht came to an end.
In February 2024, Glasner moved to the English Premier League and took over the capital club Crystal Palace. There he achieved another historic feat: victory in the FA Cup was the first (!) title in the club’s history!
Oliver Glasner’s salary: How much did he earn?
Oliver Glasner has been coach at Crystal Palace since February 2024. His contract runs until June 30, 2026.
How much does Glasner earn at Crystal Palace?
Oliver Glasner’s salary at Crystal Palace is £4.5 million per year. That is equivalent to around €5 million. This means that Glasner earns around 416,000 euros per month. His weekly salary is approximately 96,000 euros.
View this post on Instagram
Glasner’s annual salary is in the top third compared to other Premier League coaches. The top earner is Pep Guardiola, who receives £20 million a year from Manchester City.
Any title bonuses or bonuses for certain league positions are not included here.
Before moving to the Premier League, Glasner’s salary at Eintracht Frankfurt was €3 million per year.
