Austria national football team

The first official match took place on 12th October 1902 in Vienna when a team from Cisleithanien (Austrian part of the Austrian-Hungary Empire) played versus Hungary. (5:0) The team reached in the 1930s the best time. It was the time of the so-called "Wunderteam" (miracle team) when Austria was one of the leading teams in Europe. The Wunderteam was the first from the continent to defeat Scotland. In 1934 the team was took part in the FIFA world cup for the first time and reached the 4th place. 1936 Austria won the silver medal at the Olympic games in Berlin. Due to the occupation through Germany in 1938 there was no team between 1938 and 1945. The national team was dissolved and the players like Matthias Sindelar became part of the German team.

Soon after the end of the war the Austrian team played their first matches versus Hungary in Budapest. On December 6th, 1945 the first homematch took place in the renovated Praterstadion (now Ernst-Happel-Stadion). France was beaten by 4:1. Soon Austria was as successful as before the war. In 1951 Scotland was beaten in his own stadium by 1:0. Austria was the first team from the continent to do so. The FIFA World cup 1954 was the most successful ever. A legendary match was the quarterfinal against Switzerland which won Austria 7:5. It is still till today the Worldcup match with the most goals scored. Austria reached the semifinals and was beaten by the later world champion Germany by 1:6. The match for the 3rd place was won by 3:1 versus Uruguay. Players like Gerhard Hanappi, Walter Zeman and Ernst Ocwirk were playing in the FIFA world team. A 0:6 versus the Czech team marked the end of Austrias golden periode.

The next years Austria was an average team but surprised through notable wins. On was on 20 October 1965 when Austria won in England 3:2. Austria was the third team to do so. In the same year however Austria failed to qualify for the 1966 World Cup. Also the qualification for 1970 was a failure. The qualification for 1974 was missed after a 1:2 versus Sweden in a decider.

After 20 years Austria could qualify for the 1978 FIFA World Cup. The last match versus Turkey was won 1:0 through a goal by the later team coach Herbert Prohaska. In the tournament Austria won the groupstage. But after two lost matches versus Netherlands and Italy they failed to reach the final round. The last match was versus Germany in Cordoba. Austria won 3:2 through two goals by Hans Krankl and an own goal by Bertie Vogts. In Austria this is a legendary match. In the 1982 World Cup Austria also played. After two matches with wins versus Algeria and Chile a narrow loss against Germany was enough. Germany had to win to promote to the final round. The match ended 1:0 for Germany and especially in Algeria there were manipulation reproaches. After the 1982 Cup a lot of players ended their career, so Austria failed to reach the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

Under coach Josef Hickersberger Austria could qualify for the 1990 World Cup. He called back old players like Herbert Prohaska and mixed them with new players like Andreas Herzog who had only three league matches played before the Championship. After losses versus Italy and Czechoslovakia and a win versus USA they failed in the first round.

Shortly after the World Cup Hickersberger resigned after a 0:1 versus the Faroe Islands in Landskrona, Sweden. On the islands there was no stadium with grass and all the players were pure amateurs. This match was a great disgrace for Austrians team.

The last appearance of an Austrian team in a World Cup tournament was 1998 in France. Austria failed in the qualifing round versus Italy, Chile and Cameroon. As host Austria was qualified for the UEFA Euro 2008 and played versus Poland, Croatia and Germany. After losses versus Germany and Croatia and a draw versus Poland Austria could not qualify for the quarter finals.

Austria failed to qualify for the World Cup 2006 and 2010 and also for the UEFA Euro 2012.

• Andreas Herzog:with 103 matches he holds the record of matches for the national team
• Robert Sara:was voted to the All-Star-Team of the FIFA World Cup 1978
• Walter Zeman:World goal keeper 1953
• Herbert Prohaska:played in the 1990 and 1982 team and was coach of the 1998 squad for the World Cups
• Hans Krankl: he was the star of the 1978 match versus Germany and Europs best scorer
• Matthias Sindelar: player of the "Wunderteam" one of Austrias best players ever
• Toni Polster:with 44 goals best scorer of the Austrian team

To mark the turn of the century, the Kronen Zeitung called for an election for the national team of the (20th) century in 1999.

• as 16 October 2023^[5]

Team matches

• • 825
  • Won:346
  • Drawn:176
  • Lost:303
  • Goals1456: 1279 +177
  • The highest victory was a 9:0 versus Malta in a qualifing match for the FIFA World Cup 1978.
  • Top scorer in single match:Hans Krankl 6 versus Malta
  • The highest defeat was a 1:11 versus England on 8th June 1908 in Vienna.
  • Most matches:versus Hungary 136
  • Best result in Fifa World Cup:1954 3rd
  • Visitors: 30.10.1960 Austria - Spain 3:0 91000^[6]

Matches

1. Marko Arnautovic 108
2. Andreas Herzog 103
3. David Alaba 101
4. Aleksandar Dragovic 100
5. Anton Polster 95
6. Gerhard Hanappi 93
7. Karl Koller 86
8. Julian Baumgartlinger 84
9. Friedrich 'Friedl' Koncilia 84
10. Bruno Pezzey 84
11. Herbert Prohaska 83
12. Christian Fuchs 78
13. Sebastian Prödl 73
14. Marc Janko 70
15. Johann Krankl 69
16. Heribert Weber 68
17. Martin Harnik 68
18. Martin Hinteregger 67
19. Peter Stöger 65^[7]

Top scorer

1. Anton Polster 44
2. Johann Krankl 34
3. Johann Horvath 29
4. Erich Hof 28
5. Anton Schall 27
6. Matthias Sindelar 26
7. Andreas Herzog 26
8. Karl Zischek 24
9. Walter Schachner 23
10. Theodor Wagner 22

• 
  Hugo Meisl-coach of the "Wunderteam"
• 
  Alfred Riedl (1990/91)
• 
  Herbert Prohaska
• 
  Ralf Rangnick current team coach
• 
  Andreas Herzog 103 matches for Austria
• 
  Toni Polster-44 goals for Austrias team

• Austrian teammatches (1902 bis present-German)Archived 2012-02-11 at the Wayback Machine
• Current team players Archived 2008-06-17 at the Wayback Machine
• List of Austrian national team players (German Wikipedia)