The tragic incident happened on Wednesday morning when Rodax was standing on the tracks of the southern railway line and was hit by a railcar. According to emergency services, the train driver had no chance to brake in time.
Rodax started his professional career with Admira Wacker in 1983 and became the top scorer in the Bundesliga in 1990. After his 35 goals this season, the then 24-year-old moved to the Primera Division at Atletico Madrid, where he finished runners-up. In 1992 Rodax returned to Austria and still played for Rapid and again for Admira.
From Admira to Atletico
Rodax already played for Admira in his youth, where he also managed to become a professional in the 1982/83 season. He played an outstanding 1989/90 season for the Südstadt team. The blond striker was voted top scorer and Austria’s footballer of the year and also made international headlines on March 28, 1990 in Malaga, where the ÖFB team won a friendly match against Andorra 1-0 on the day of his death.
Rodax scored the final goal in a 3-2 win over Spain from a 2-0 deficit, attracting the attention of Atletico Madrid and a move to the Spanish capital the following summer.
In his first season he scored nine league goals for Atletico, but was no longer regularly used due to the then applicable foreigner restrictions alongside top stars Paulo Futre and Bernd Schuster and returned to Austria at the end of 1991.
Return via Rapid to Admira
Rodax played for Rapid for one and a half seasons (1992 to summer 1993) before ending his career with Admira in 1995/96. In 246 Bundesliga games he scored 95 goals for Admira (83) and Rapid (12).
Goal in the last domestic World Cup victory
The father of a family, who had already opened a tennis center in Traiskirchen during his career and most recently managed it as managing director, made 20 appearances in the Austrian national team and scored one of his three international goals at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Rodax scored 2-0 in the 2-1 win against the USA, it is the last Austrian victory at a World Cup finals to date.
help in the event of a crisis
Reports of (possible) suicides can make things worse for people in crisis. Psychiatric emergency aid offers round-the-clock advice and support on 01/313 30 in the event of a crisis.
The Austria-wide telephone counseling service can also be reached at any time on 142 free of charge. Help for teenagers and young adults is also available on the wire by dialing 147.
