Two of a kind: How Reischl and Fimiani are reshaping European quarterback play

By Zachary Hoffman

For years, the quarterback role in European football came with an unspoken disclaimer: local talent simply wasn’t trusted to lead at the highest levels. Teams leaned heavily, and still do in most cases, on American imports. The assumption was that quarterback pedigree couldn’t be homegrown. But that era is beginning to shift. Two quarterbacks are quietly rewriting the blueprint.

Austria’s best

Enter Alex Reischl, Austria’s rising star and the national team’s quarterback. Raised in Salzburg, he first developed his throwing motion not on the gridiron but on a handball court. This was before most kids his age even knew how to throw a spiral. At 13, he joined the Salzburg Ducks, not as a quarterback but as a defensive back. That changed when coach and mentor Aaron Mitchell noticed his arm talent and set him on a new path.

He embraced the switch, not just because the team needed a quarterback but because he wanted to lead. That sense of accountability sparked something deeper. After a multitude of successful youth seasons in Salzburg, he moved to Vienna to study physics at the University of Vienna. This also placed him near the Vienna Vikings, one of Europe’s premier football clubs.

In 2022, he joined the Vikings as a backup during their championship run while simultaneously helping coach their U14 team to a national title. In 2025, the Danube Dragons of the Austrian Football League handed him the reins to be their full time starter. Reischl didn’t disappoint. He responded with poise and precision, leading the team to the Austrian Bowl and proving that an American passport is not a prerequisite for greatness under center at Europe’s highest levels of the game. 

At just 22 years old, his résumé is already impressive. He has earned three Next Generation Bowl selections for Austria’s youth all-star team, a silver medal at the U18 level in 2019, and a Silver Bowl championship in 2021, which he won while playing receiver. He also contributed to the Vikings’ 2022 European League of Football championship, going 2-0 in ELF starts under center. Most recently, he led the Dragons to a second-place AFL finish and became the only non-American quarterback to reach the playoffs.

For Reischl, leadership extends beyond the field.

“As a quarterback in national leagues, it’s a tough balancing act,” he says. “You’re trying to be a leader and have your ducks in a row, but you also want to be genuine and have fun with it. I want to be remembered as someone who had an open ear for any problems my teammates had, on or off the field.”

That philosophy shapes everything he does. He has studied under American imports like QB Kris Denton and coach Nick Johansen. But his success is grounded in more than just mentorship. It comes from his commitment, joy, and belief that talent, commitment paired with trust can overcome standard tradition.

“I want to be remembered as a competitor, someone who takes responsibility and doesn’t point fingers,” he says. “I want opponents to look at the schedule and think, ‘Oh no, we’ve got Reischl this week. He’s going to put on a show.’”

The grind behind greatness

Then there is Andrea Fimiani, the face of Italian American football. 

Born in Busto Arsizio, Italy, Fimiani is also a member of the Italian National team. Though he didn’t grow up with elite coaching or top-tier facilities, he learned the position through sheer effort and will. At 17, he became the starter for his local Division 2 team which he credits a lot in terms of his development. Amazingly enough, Fimiani never has truly had a QB coach to help him in his development either. He credits watching Youtube videos of the latest throwing techniques as a major part of his development throughout the years. 

“In my eyes, the best way to learn is to get on the field and play. I’m thankful I was able to do that at a young age.”, Fimiani says.

“European-born quarterbacks are essentially playing the game with an automatic handicap,” Fimiani explains. “We don’t get to experience playing in high school or college. At the end of the day, football is a business, and teams will make business decisions. If you want to make it as a European QB, you have to take the initiative and make the necessary sacrifices to stand out and prove you are worthy of being selected over an import QB.”

Now the heartbeat of Firenze Guelfi, Fimiani has led the team to four consecutive championship appearances. His 2022 campaign was electrifying. He recorded nearly 1,000 rushing yards, double-digit touchdowns through the air and on the ground, and delivered Firenze’s first national title ever. Even when injuries sidelined him in 2023, the system he helped build carried the team back to the final. In 2024, he returned to form, reclaiming his rushing dominance and leading Guelfi to another championship appearance.

Then came this past season. Fimiani capped a perfect 12-0 season with a dominant 49-14 Italian Bowl win at the Glass Bowl in Toledo, Ohio. He threw four touchdowns and ran for three more. He earned both League MVP and Italian Bowl MVP honors, not only through sheer athleticism but by outworking his opponents mentally and emotionally on a daily basis.

Fimiani is more than just Italy’s only domestic starting quarterback. He is the embodiment of where discipline and determination combined with talent can lead you. Despite holding a full-time banking job in Milan, he trains between 14 and 20 times per week. Often, he fits in two to three sessions per day. From solo drills and weightlifting to hours of film study, every minute of his calendar is accounted for.

“I want to be the best in Italian football history,” he says.

Inspired by Rafael Nadal’s belief that being a good person is more important than being a legend, Fimiani shares that mindset as well. His ultimate goal is not just greatness on the field but to be remembered as someone who made everyone around him better.

Changing the narrative

Together, Reischl and Fimiani are forcing a rethink of quarterback development in Europe. They have proven that with the right foundation, whether through structured coaching or sheer will, homegrown quarterbacks can lead championship teams at the highest European level.

Reischl is pragmatic. He knows European football likely won’t provide full-time quarterback careers in the next decade. His advice is simple, yet enlightening:  Love the game, find good coaching, and commit fully. Fimiani, with his relentless work ethic and no-shortcuts mentality, proves what is possible when drive meets opportunity.

Their success is not just athletic. It is cultural. When quarterbacks speak the language of their locker room and understand the rhythm of their local fanbase, every touchdown means more. It resonates. It inspires the next generation.

Legacy in the Making

Quarterbacking, for these two, is not just about stats. It is about stewardship. They are the faces of their teams not just because of what they have done but how they have done it: with sacrifice, humility, and authenticity all while embracing the silence within the daily grind.

In a football world increasingly driven by multi-million-dollar contracts and NIL deals, Reischl and Fimiani are a refreshing reminder of the game’s soul. Competition, camaraderie, craft, and a deep love for the sport are what define them.

They didn’t chase stardom. Reischl was drawn to the pressure and responsibility. Fimiani built himself from the ground up. They know full-time careers on the field will likely never come. But that doesn’t stop them from giving it everything to reach their full potential.

Different countries. Different styles. But the same powerful message. Homegrown quarterbacks are no longer a novelty or a hope for the future. They are here, and they are thriving.

The numbers speak for themselves. Championships. MVPs. Undefeated seasons. Playoff breakthroughs. They have delivered when it matters most, silencing doubt one pass at a time.

And somewhere on a quiet field in Europe, a young player just picked up a football and will be next in line. He did it because Alex and Andrea proved it is possible. Because when greatness comes from your own backyard, the impossible starts to feel inevitable.

There’s no secret formula for quarterback success. No magic potion. No shortcut or secret sauce. But for trailblazers like Reischl and Fimiani, the path is shaped by something far more powerful: an unwavering initiative, a deep love for the game, and an unshakable desire to lead from the front and by example.

They are, quite simply, two of a kind. And the European quarterback blueprint is being re-written by these two as we speak.