Kids will love him. Austrian President issues an unusual appeal

He asked parents to let their children stay up a little longer on Thursday. Austria is set to face Spain in their Round of 16 clash at 9:00 PM CEST.

"Dear parents," stated the 82-year-old Van der Bellen in a video posted on his Facebook page.

"Let them stay up a little longer on Thursday. Yes, watching TV late into the night isn't ideal. I know. But this time, turn a blind eye so that children who want to can cheer on our national team live. These are the kinds of memories one carries for a lifetime. Plus, we're just days away from the school holidays," he added.

School is still in session in Austria this week, as reported by the DPA agency.