The Big Interview: Eileen Campbell

Eileen Campbell was born in Austria but has an Irish mother and a British passport. Currently the top scorer in the Austrian league, she's now made her debut for the national team.

22-year-old Eileen Campbell, playing for SCR Altach/FFC Vorderland this season.

“Everybody asks about the name,” laughs Eileen Campbell.

With heritage in Northern Ireland through her mum and a UK passport, it’s no surprise she is somewhat of an outlier in Austria.

But now people are paying attention to Campbell as she currently sits as the top goal scorer in the domestic league and made her debut for Irene Fuhrmann’s national team at the end of last year.

Nine goals into the current season, which went on a prolonged winter break in November, Campbell’s performances caught the eye of a national team not short on talent after a run to the quarter-finals at last summer’s European Championships.

Born and raised in Austria, hearing Campbell’s distinct Austrian accent down the phone is still surreal when you see the very British name on the screen.

Campbell has worked incredibly hard all the way through the Austrian pathway to get her opportunity, and she’s been called up again for this month’s friendlies against former European champions Netherlands.

“I did have an English passport but I’m about to hand it back as past a certain age you’re not allowed two citizenships in Austria,” explains the 22-year-old. “The reason I kept my Austrian citizenship was to play for Austria, I’d been in the youth squads when I was younger, but I have an Irish and a British passport.

“It was definitely a good experience and a good feeling,” she adds, of her first senior call-up in November. “I really do work hard. I have a lot of stress, my daily schedule is crazy so it made me even happier the head coach recognises that I do play well, I had a great season and it was crazy really because everyone knew before I knew.

“I was at work and I never look at my phone. At lunchtime, I took my phone out and everyone was texting me to say congratulations and I was like ‘for what?!’ But I was really happy, it’s the complete opposite of my every day schedule. I get to wake up, train in the morning, whereas I usually train in the evening, and our national team games are in the evening whereas our league games are in the morning, so it’s very different.”