European Football Championships | Cristiano Ronaldo barked this man up – now there is a huge sensation at the European Championships

Football Austria has been the biggest surprise in the initial group stage of the European Championship. Many knew how to guess the country that performed promisingly in the qualifiers and in the games preparing for the Games as the dark horse of the tournament, but very few predicted this in advance.

After all, Austria marched to victory in its rock-hard first group. France, the Netherlands and Poland were left behind.

Even in the opening match, despite a good performance, Austria suffered a narrow 0–1 loss to France, but after that came two victories.

Many have been impressed above all by the way in which by Ralf Rangnick the team has played in the European Championships. Austria has not come as an underdog to withdraw, but has played greedy attacking football.

“It was to be expected that Austria would play brave and active football, but it has been a surprise, at least to me, that it has worked and brought results so well”, expert Marko Rajamäki says.

“And Austria has no reason to change anything after winning the group. They will surely continue with the same style of play in the next games as well. It’s not certain that Austria will always win, but at least that’s how they play.”

Surprising At the same time, the group win opened up a great prospect for Austria in terms of the further games of the tournament. It now has a real chance to create a sensation in Germany.

“There’s been a lot of talk now that there’s a harder side and an easier side to the playoff schedule. With the group win, Austria earned a place in the so-called from the easier side of the chart,” says Rajamäki.

Next Tuesday, Austria will face Turkey in the quarterfinals. Austria goes into this match as early favorites. Even a win in this match would ensure Austria the best EC ranking in its history.

In the semifinals, Austria’s opponent would be Group E winner Romania – or again Holland.

of Austria success is based on a strong collective instead of star individuals. Dortmund have excelled as the attacking engines of the midfield in this tournament Marcel Sabitzer and Leipzig Christoph Baumgartner, but they are not real star players by the standards of the big countries. The 35-year-old mastermind of the attack Marko Arnautovic is already strongly in the twilight of his career.

Each of Austria’s six opening group goals was scored by a different man. The team also recycled its starting line-up already in the group stage.

“Austria’s strength is above all team play, which everyone is committed to. Playing that way also requires that,” says Rajamäki.

In this tournament, Austria has impressed many not only with its results but also with its spectator-friendly play.

“Austria is always active. Immediately after losing the ball, they tend to press and actively take the ball away. And when they are on the ball, of course they build and pass one line at a time, but the main purpose is to attack and not hold the ball.”

“Of course, tactically there are many small details in Austria’s playing, but in the big picture these are the main elements. Hurts and happens in Austrian games,” says Rajamäki.

Austria is not known as a football powerhouse, and in recent decades it has not been liked as either team on international fields. The last time Austria reached the World Cup was in the last millennium.

The country is playing in the European Championship for only the fourth time in its history (home games 2008, 2016, 2021, 2024). The best performance is the 12th place in the previous competitions.

The German Rangnick, 65, who took command of the national team in the spring of 2022, has, however, raised Austria to new prosperity in a couple of years.

For a long time Rangnick, who has a coaching career, coached in the Bundesliga already at the end of the last millennium, but many remember him as Manchester United’s temporary coach in the 2021-22 season. Rangnicki was supposed to continue as ManU’s sports director, but this union quickly fell apart in stormy conditions.

Played in ManU at the time Cristiano Ronaldo barked Rangnick to his feet.

“How can you be the manager of ManU if you are not even a coach? I had never even heard of him,” the Portuguese star teased recently in a heated debate Piers Morgan in the interview.

Ronaldo was probably referring to the fact that, despite a couple of short exceptions, Rangnick spent almost the entire 2010s as sports director in different clubs.

Now, however, he is back rushing to the side of the field.

Probably, during these European Championships, both Ronaldo and many others will hear about Rangnick even more.