Didi Constantini is dead: Austria mourns the loss of its former national coach

After years of illness

Mourning for Didi Constantini: Ex-Austria coach dead

Five years ago, Dietmar, known as “Didi”, Constantini made his dementia public and withdrew. Now the long-time trainer has died.

Austrian football has lost one of its most influential personalities: Didi Constantini died on Wednesday night at the age of 69. The Austrian media report this unanimously.

Constantini was national coach several times and also worked as an assistant to coaching legend Ernst Happel. His longest tenure as national coach lasted from 2009 to 2011, during which he oversaw 23 games. He also worked in Germany, working for the then second division club Mainz 05 from 1997 to 1998.

The Tyrolean was a professional himself and even became champion and cup winner in Austria in the 1970s. After stints in Greece and at various Austrian clubs, he ended his active career at the Vienna Sport Club.

In 2019, Constantini made his dementia public and withdrew from the public eye. With his death, Austria has lost a charismatic coach who shaped football in the country for decades.