René Kriwak

René Kriwak (born 30 April 1999) is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Rapid Wien II.

Having played youth football for Admira Wacker, Kriwak had spells at lower league sides Admira Wacker II, SV Stripfing, FC Marchfeld and Wiener SC, before signing his first professional contract at Rapid Wien in 2022. He spent the 2022–23 season on loan at TSV Hartberg before signing for Dutch side FC Dordrecht in summer 2023.

Club career After playing youth football at Markgrafneusiedl SC and Großschweinbarth SV, he joined the academy of Admira Wacker aged 12. The 2017–18 season saw Kriwak move to the club's reserve team, but Kriwak failed to break into the Wacker first team, signing for fourth-tier SV Stripfing in 2019. Kriwak was injured in his first match for the club, and his contract was not extended following Stripfing's promotion to the Austrian Regionalliga in summer 2019.

Kriwak signed for Wiener SC in May 2021. After 11 goals in 13 matches in the first half of the 2021–22 season for Wiener SC, Kriwak joined Austrian Bundesliga club Rapid Wien on a two-and-a-half-year contract in January 2022, initially joining their reserve side. He scored 8 goals in 13 matches for the clubs reserve side, and was promoted to the first team squad for the 2022–23 season.

Kriwak made 6 first-team appearances for Rapid Wien at the start of the 2022–23 season, but he joined TSV Hartberg, also of the Austrian Bundesliga, on a season-long loan on 31 August 2022. He scored on his full debut for the club in a 3–2 defeat at home to Austria Klagenfurt, and also scored in the following match as Hartberg won 3–0 away at LASK. He scored 10 goals in 31 league matches for Dordrecht across the 2023–24 season.

Style of play Kriwak is 1.98 metres tall. Rapid Wien manager Zoran Barisic described Kriwak as a "versatile attacker who, due to his size, is also extremely strong in the air".

Personal life Kriwak grew up in Matzen, Lower Austria. He was a childhood Rapid Wien fan. On the start to season 24/25 he received an injury, which cost him play the whole season.