ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

Wolfgang Mair

Wolfgang Mario Mair was born on February 17, 1980, in Leisach, East Tyrol, Austria. He is an Austrian footballer who later transitioned to a career as an artist under the stage name "Kowalski". Growing up in Lienz, Mair's family background played a significant role in shaping his early life and interests.

Mair was born into a working-class family where his father worked at the railway, while his mother was a kindergarten teacher. He has a sister and completed his secondary education at the local school in Lienz before moving to Innsbruck for his professional football career. Initially intending to study interior decoration and design in Graz, Mair's sporting pursuits led him to pursue an alternative path.

After joining FC Tirol Innsbruck's youth department at 16, Mair rose through the ranks under coach Kurt Jara. He made his debut on November 14, 1998, against Vorwärts Steyr and went on to win three Austrian championships with the club before its bankruptcy. Subsequently, he played for SV Pasching, FC Wacker Tirol, and later moved to FC Red Bull Salzburg in 2005.

Mair's time at Red Bull Salzburg was marked by periods of interplayer status, but his transfer to FK Austria Wien in 2006 brought him success as the reigning champion. He won the ÖFB Cup in 2007 with this team before moving on to SK Austria Kärnten from 2008 to 2010.

Following the bankruptcy of SK Austria Kärnten, Mair joined First Vienna FC, a move that marked his descent into the first division. After completing his football career in 2014, he pursued an apprenticeship in graphics and media design in Salzburg, graduating as a media specialist and designer at BFI Salzburg.

Since 2016, Mair has operated his own advertising agency while continuing to work as a painter under the stage name "Kowalski". He currently resides and works in Salzburg-Leopoldskron.