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Austria national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Austria women's national football team.
Quick facts for kids
Austria
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Das Team (The Team)
Burschen (The Boys)
Unsere Burschen (Our Boys)
Association Österreichischer Fußball-Bund (ÖFB)
Confederation UEFA (Europe)
Head coach Ralf Rangnick
Captain David Alaba
Most caps Marko Arnautović (121)
Top scorer Toni Polster (44)
Home stadium Various
FIFA code AUT
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 23 Decrease 1 (7 February 2019)
Highest 10 (March–June 2016)
Lowest 105 (July 2008)
Elo ranking
Current 28 Increase 12 (3 March 2019)
Highest 1 (May 1934)
Lowest 75 (2 September 2011)
First international
 Austria 5–0 Hungary 
(Vienna, Austria; 12 October 1902)
Biggest win
 Austria 9–0 Malta 
(Salzburg, Austria; 30 April 1977)
Biggest defeat
 Austria 1–11 England 
(Vienna, Austria; 8 June 1908)
World Cup
Appearances 7 (first in 1934)
Best result Third place (1954)
European Championship
Appearances 4 (first in 2008)
Best result Round of 16 (2020, 2024)
Medal record
FIFA World Cup
Bronze 1954 Switzerland Team
Olympic Games
Silver 1936 Berlin Team
Website oefb.at

The Austria national football team represents Austria in men's international football games. The team is controlled by the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB). The ÖFB was started on March 18, 1904.

In the 1930s, Austria's team was very strong. They were known as the "Wunderteam," which means "Wonder Squad." They finished fourth in the 1934 FIFA World Cup and won a silver medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics. In 1938, Austria became part of Nazi Germany. This meant the Austrian team was temporarily dissolved. Austrian players had to join the German team.

After World War II, Austria's team returned. They had great success in the 1954 FIFA World Cup, finishing third. They also beat England at Wembley Stadium in 1965. The team had some ups and downs in later years. But in the 1970s and 1980s, they became strong again. They reached the second round in the 1978 and 1982 World Cups. A famous moment was beating West Germany in 1978.

The 1990s and 2000s were harder for the team. They had a surprising loss to the Faroe Islands in 1992. They also didn't get past the group stage in the 1998 World Cup. Austria co-hosted UEFA Euro 2008 with Switzerland. This was their first time playing in the UEFA European Championship. They were eliminated in the group stage. The team has improved a lot since 2016. They qualified for the Euros that year. They also qualified for Euro 2020 and 2024. This shows their recent strong performance.

History of Austrian Football

Early Years and the "Wunderteam"

The Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) began on March 18, 1904. This was during the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the 1930s, under coach Hugo Meisl, Austria's team became very famous. They were called the "Wunderteam" because they played so well. Their best player was Matthias Sindelar. On May 16, 1931, they were the first team from mainland Europe to beat Scotland.

In the 1934 FIFA World Cup, Austria finished fourth. They lost to Italy in the semi-finals. Then they lost to Germany in the third-place game.

Peru v Austria 1936 Juan Valdivieso
A moment from the Austria vs. Peru match at the 1936 Olympics.

At the 1936 Olympics in Germany, Austria won a silver medal. They lost to Italy in the final. The team had qualified for the 1938 World Cup. However, Austria was joined with Germany in an event called the Anschluss. This meant the Austrian Football Association was closed. Austrian players then joined the German team for the World Cup.

After World War II: Success and Challenges

After World War II, Austria's football team started playing internationally again. Their best result was in the 1954 FIFA World Cup. With star player Ernst Ocwirk, they finished third. They lost to Germany in the semi-finals but beat Uruguay for third place. Austria and Germany developed a strong football rivalry.

At the 1998 World Cup in Sweden, Austria did not get past the group stage. For financial reasons, Austria chose not to play in the 1962 World Cup in Chile.

On October 20, 1965, Austria made history. They became only the third European team to beat England at their home stadium. Toni Fritsch scored two goals in their 3-2 win. He was nicknamed "Wembley Toni." However, Austria did not qualify for the 1966 World Cup. They also missed out on the 1970 World Cup. In 1974, Austria almost qualified for the World Cup. They lost a playoff game to Sweden on a snowy field.

The 1970s and 1980s: A Strong Comeback

With players like Herbert Prohaska and Hans Krankl, Austria reached the World Cup in 1978 and 1982. Both times, they made it to the second round. This team, led by coach Helmut Senekowitsch, is often seen as Austria's best team after World War II.

In the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, Austria had a famous 3-2 win over West Germany. This game is known in Austria as the "Miracle of Cordoba."

At the 1982 World Cup in Spain, Austria and West Germany played again. Both teams knew that a 1-0 win for West Germany would allow both teams to move forward. After West Germany scored early, the teams mostly passed the ball around. This match became known as the "non-aggression pact of Gijón." Because of this, all future World Cup group matches are played at the same time.

The 1990s: Upsets and Challenges

Austria qualified for the 1990 World Cup with striker Toni Polster. But they were knocked out in the first round. A big upset happened in 1992. Austria lost 1-0 to the Faroe Islands. This team was made up of amateur players. Many people call this one of the biggest upsets in football history.

In the 1998 World Cup, Austria was in a group with Italy, Cameroon, and Chile. They scored their only goals in extra time in each game. They finished third in their group and did not move on.

The 21st Century: Decline and Revival

After 1998, Austria's team struggled. They did not qualify for the 2002 World Cup or Euro 2000. They also had some tough losses, like 9-0 to Spain in 1999.

Austria automatically qualified for Euro 2008 because they were co-hosts. Many fans even signed a petition asking Austria to withdraw. They thought the team would be embarrassed. But Austria managed a 1-1 draw with Poland. They lost 1-0 to Croatia and Germany.

The team started to improve in the 2010s. Many players from the 2007 U-20 World Cup team became senior players. Austria did not qualify for the 2014 World Cup. But they had a very successful qualifying campaign for Euro 2016. They finished first in their group without losing a game.

However, the tournament itself was difficult. Austria lost to Hungary and Iceland. They drew with Portugal. They were eliminated with only one point. Austria also did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Recent Success in European Championships

Austria qualified for UEFA Euro 2020. They finished second in their group. Marko Arnautović was a top scorer for the team. This was the second time Austria qualified for a major tournament in a row.

At UEFA Euro 2020, Austria won their first game against North Macedonia 3-1. This was their first win at a European Championship. They beat Ukraine 1-0 to finish second in their group. This meant they reached the knockout stages for the first time since the 1982 World Cup. They played Italy in the Round of 16 and lost 2-1 after extra time.

Austria also qualified for 2024. They continued their strong performance, reaching the Round of 16 again.

Rivalry

Austria has a long-standing football rivalry with Hungary. Their matches are the second most played international games in football history. Austria's biggest rival, especially since World War II, is Germany. Even though Austria is often the underdog, they have had some memorable wins. The 3-2 victory in Cordoba at the 1978 World Cup is a famous example.

Recent Results and Upcoming Games

Here are some of the recent results and future games for the Austria national football team.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

2025 Upcoming Matches

Coaching Staff

As of April 2024, here is the coaching staff for the Austria national football team:

Position Name
Head coach Germany Ralf Rangnick
Assistant coaches Germany Lars Kornetka
Germany Peter Perchtold
Germany Onur Cinel
Goalkeeping coach Austria Michael Gspurning
Match analyst Austria Stefan Oesen

Players

Current Squad

These players were chosen for the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League in October 2024. Caps and goals are updated as of November 17, 2024, after the match against  Slovenia.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Alexander Schlager (1996-02-01) 1 February 1996 (age 29) 17 0 Austria Red Bull Salzburg
12 1GK Niklas Hedl (2001-03-17) 17 March 2001 (age 24) 1 0 Austria Rapid Wien
13 1GK Patrick Pentz (1997-01-02) 2 January 1997 (age 28) 14 0 Denmark Brøndby
2 2DF Maximilian Wöber (1998-02-04) 4 February 1998 (age 27) 30 0 England Leeds United
3 2DF Michael Svoboda (1998-10-15) 15 October 1998 (age 26) 2 0 Italy Venezia
4 2DF Kevin Danso (1998-09-19) 19 September 1998 (age 26) 24 0 France Lens
5 2DF Stefan Posch (1997-05-14) 14 May 1997 (age 28) 42 2 Italy Bologna
8 2DF Alexander Prass (2001-05-26) 26 May 2001 (age 24) 13 0 Germany TSG Hoffenheim
15 2DF Philipp Lienhart (1996-07-11) 11 July 1996 (age 28) 29 3 Germany SC Freiburg
16 2DF Phillipp Mwene (1994-01-29) 29 January 1994 (age 31) 20 0 Germany Mainz 05
2DF Gernot Trauner (1992-03-25) 25 March 1992 (age 33) 15 2 Netherlands Feyenoord
6 3MF Nicolas Seiwald (2001-05-04) 4 May 2001 (age 24) 34 0 Germany RB Leipzig
9 3MF Marcel Sabitzer (3rd captain) (1994-03-17) 17 March 1994 (age 31) 87 20 Germany Borussia Dortmund
10 3MF Florian Grillitsch (1995-08-07) 7 August 1995 (age 29) 49 1 Germany TSG Hoffenheim
18 3MF Romano Schmid (2000-01-27) 27 January 2000 (age 25) 21 2 Germany Werder Bremen
19 3MF Christoph Baumgartner (1999-08-01) 1 August 1999 (age 25) 48 18 Germany RB Leipzig
20 3MF Konrad Laimer (1997-05-27) 27 May 1997 (age 28) 46 5 Germany Bayern Munich
21 3MF Patrick Wimmer (2001-05-30) 30 May 2001 (age 24) 21 1 Germany VfL Wolfsburg
22 3MF Matthias Seidl (2001-01-24) 24 January 2001 (age 24) 8 1 Austria Rapid Wien
23 3MF Kevin Stöger (1993-08-27) 27 August 1993 (age 31) 3 0 Germany Borussia Mönchengladbach
7 4FW Marko Arnautović (Captain) (1989-04-19) 19 April 1989 (age 36) 121 39 Italy Internazionale
11 4FW Michael Gregoritsch (1994-04-18) 18 April 1994 (age 31) 62 18 Germany SC Freiburg
14 4FW Junior Adamu (2001-06-06) 6 June 2001 (age 24) 9 0 Germany SC Freiburg
17 4FW Andreas Weimann (1991-08-05) 5 August 1991 (age 33) 26 2 England West Bromwich Albion

Recent Call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the Austria squad in the last year.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Heinz Lindner (1990-07-17) 17 July 1990 (age 34) 37 0 Belgium Union Saint-Gilloise UEFA Euro 2024
GK Daniel Bachmann (1994-07-09) 9 July 1994 (age 30) 14 0 England Watford UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
GK Tobias Lawal (2000-06-07) 7 June 2000 (age 25) 0 0 Austria LASK UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
DF Flavius Daniliuc (2001-04-27) 27 April 2001 (age 24) 3 0 Italy Hellas Verona v.  Norway, 13 October 2024
DF Marco Friedl (1998-03-16) 16 March 1998 (age 27) 5 0 Germany Werder Bremen v.  Norway, 13 October 2024
DF Leopold Querfeld (2003-12-20) 20 December 2003 (age 21) 4 0 Germany Union Berlin v.  Norway, 13 October 2024
DF Samson Baidoo (2004-03-31) 31 March 2004 (age 21) 1 0 Austria Red Bull Salzburg UEFA Euro 2024
DF Stefan Lainer (1992-08-27) 27 August 1992 (age 32) 39 2 Germany Borussia Mönchengladbach UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
MF Florian Kainz (1992-10-24) 24 October 1992 (age 32) 28 1 Germany 1. FC Köln UEFA Euro 2024
MF Marco Grüll (1998-07-06) 6 July 1998 (age 26) 5 0 Germany Werder Bremen UEFA Euro 2024
MF Dejan Ljubičić (1997-10-08) 8 October 1997 (age 27) 9 1 Germany 1. FC Köln UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
MF Thierno Ballo (2002-01-02) 2 January 2002 (age 23) 0 0 Austria Wolfsberger AC UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
MF Christoph Lang (2002-01-07) 7 January 2002 (age 23) 0 0 Austria Rapid Wien UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
MF Xaver Schlager (1997-09-28) 28 September 1997 (age 27) 43 4 Germany RB Leipzig v.  Turkey, 14 March 2024
FW Maximilian Entrup (1997-09-15) 15 September 1997 (age 27) 3 1 Austria Hartberg UEFA Euro 2024
FW Guido Burgstaller (1989-04-29) 29 April 1989 (age 36) 26 2 Austria Rapid Wien UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
FW Muhammed Cham (2000-09-26) 26 September 2000 (age 24) 3 0 France Clermont UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
FW Manprit Sarkaria (1996-08-26) 26 August 1996 (age 28) 1 0 Austria Sturm Graz UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
FW Benedikt Pichler (1997-07-20) 20 July 1997 (age 27) 0 0 Germany Holstein Kiel UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
FW Arnel Jakupović (1998-05-29) 29 May 1998 (age 27) 0 0 Croatia NK Osijek UEFA Euro 2024 PRE

PRE Player was named to the preliminary squad / standby
COV Player withdrew from the squad due to COVID-19
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury
WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue
RET Retired from international football
SUS Suspended in official matches

Player Statistics

Here are some interesting facts about the players. Statistics are updated after the match against  Slovenia. Players in bold are still playing for the national team.

Most Games Played (Most Capped Players)

20180610 FIFA Friendly Match Austria vs. Brazil Marko Arnautović 850 1633
Marko Arnautović has played the most games for Austria.
Rank Player Caps Goals Years Played
1 Marko Arnautović 121 39 2008–present
2 David Alaba 105 15 2009–present
3 Andreas Herzog 103 26 1988–2003
4 Aleksandar Dragović 100 2 2009–2022
5 Toni Polster 95 44 1982–2000
6 Gerhard Hanappi 93 12 1948–1964
7 Marcel Sabitzer 87 20 2012–present
8 Karl Koller 86 5 1952–1965
9 Julian Baumgartlinger 84 1 2009–2021
Friedrich Koncilia 84 0 1970–1985
Bruno Pezzey 84 9 1975–1990

Top Goalscorers

Polster Toni-7361-fmp (18560369719)
Toni Polster has scored the most goals for Austria with 44.
Rank Player Goals Caps Goals per Game Years Played
1 Toni Polster 44 95 0.46 1982–2000
2 Marko Arnautović 39 121 0.32 2009–present
3 Hans Krankl 34 69 0.49 1973–1985
4 Johann Horvath 29 46 0.63 1924–1934
5 Erich Hof 28 37 0.76 1957–1968
Marc Janko 28 70 0.40 2006–2019
7 Anton Schall 27 28 0.96 1927–1934
8 Matthias Sindelar 26 43 0.60 1926–1937
Andreas Herzog 26 103 0.25 1988–2003
10 Karl Zischek 24 40 0.60 1931–1945

Competitive Record

Here's how Austria has done in major football tournaments.

FIFA World Cup

Main article: Austria at the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup Record Qualification Record
Year Result Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Did not enter Did not enter
Italy 1934 Fourth place 4th 4 2 0 2 7 7 Squad 1 1 0 0 6 1
France 1938 Did not enter Did not enter
Brazil 1950
Switzerland 1954 Third place 3rd 5 4 0 1 17 12 Squad 2 1 1 0 9 1
Sweden 1958 Group stage 15th 3 0 1 2 2 7 Squad 4 3 1 0 14 3
Chile 1962 Did not enter Did not enter
England 1966 Did not qualify 4 0 1 3 1 6
Mexico 1970 6 3 0 3 12 7
West Germany 1974 7 3 2 2 15 9
Argentina 1978 Second group stage 7th 6 3 0 3 7 10 Squad 6 4 2 0 14 2
Spain 1982 8th 5 2 1 2 5 4 Squad 8 5 1 2 16 6
Mexico 1986 Did not qualify 6 3 1 2 9 8
Italy 1990 Group stage 18th 3 1 0 2 2 3 Squad 8 3 3 2 9 9
United States 1994 Did not qualify 10 3 2 5 15 16
France 1998 Group stage 23rd 3 0 2 1 3 4 Squad 10 8 1 1 17 4
South Korea Japan 2002 Did not qualify 10 4 3 3 10 14
Germany 2006 10 4 3 3 15 12
South Africa 2010 10 4 2 4 14 15
Brazil 2014 10 5 2 3 20 10
Russia 2018 10 4 3 3 14 12
Qatar 2022 11 5 1 5 20 19
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined To be determined
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total Third place 7/22 29 12 4 13 43 47 134 64 29 41 232 154

UEFA European Championship

Main article: Austria at the UEFA European Championship
UEFA European Championship Record Qualifying Record
Year Result Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
France 1960 Did not qualify 4 2 0 2 10 11
Spain 1964 2 0 1 1 2 3
Italy 1968 5 2 1 2 7 9
Belgium 1972 6 3 1 2 14 6
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1976 6 3 1 2 11 7
Italy 1980 8 4 3 1 14 7
France 1984 8 4 1 3 15 10
West Germany 1988 6 2 1 3 6 9
Sweden 1992 8 1 1 6 6 14
England 1996 10 5 1 4 29 14
Belgium Netherlands 2000 8 4 1 3 19 20
Portugal 2004 8 3 0 5 12 14
Austria Switzerland 2008 Group stage 13th 3 0 1 2 1 3 Squad Qualified as hosts
Poland Ukraine 2012 Did not qualify 10 3 3 4 16 17
France 2016 Group stage 22nd 3 0 1 2 1 4 Squad 10 9 1 0 22 5
Europe 2020 Round of 16 12th 4 2 0 2 5 5 Squad 10 6 1 3 19 9
Germany 2024 9th 4 2 0 2 7 6 Squad 8 6 1 1 17 7
United Kingdom Republic of Ireland 2028 To be determined To be determined
Italy Turkey 2032
Total Round of 16 4/17 14 4 2 8 14 18 117 57 18 42 219 162

UEFA Nations League

UEFA Nations League Record
Season Division Group Result Pld W D L GF GA P/R RK
2018–19 B 3 Group stage 4 2 1 1 3 2 Same position 18th
2020–21 B 1 Group stage 6 4 1 1 9 6 Rise 18th
2022–23 A 1 Group stage 6 1 1 4 6 10 Fall 13th
2024–25 B 3 To be determined
Total Group stage 16 7 3 6 18 18 13th

Honours

Here are the awards and achievements of the Austria national football team:

Major Competitions

Regional Competitions

  • Central European International Cup
    • Champions (1): 1931–32
    • Runners-up (2): 1927–30, 1933–35
    • Third place (2): 1948–53, 1955–60

Summary of Medals

Competition 1 2 3 Total
FIFA World Cup 0 0 1 1
Olympic Games 0 1 0 1
UEFA European Championship 0 0 0 0
Total 0 1 1 2

Images for kids

  • Österrike 1958

    Austria national football team in 1958.

  • Österreichische Fußballnationalmannschaft 2009-11-18

    Austria national team before a match against Spain, November 2009.

  • FIFA WC-qualification 2014 - Austria vs. Germany 2012-09-11 (01)

    Austria vs. Germany in 2014 World Cup qualification, September 11, 2012.

  • AUT vs. LIE 2015-10-12 (006)

    Celebration photo after a victory against Liechtenstein on October 12, 2015.

See Also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Austria para niños

  • Austria women's national football team
  • Austria women's national under-19 football team
  • Austria women's national under-17 football team
  • Austria men's national under-21 football team
  • Austria men's national under-19 football team
  • Austria men's national under-17 football team
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