Now give me some proper detail
Even though Austria lasted only four games at Euro 2024, they were one of the most entertaining teams at the tournament, putting three past Poland and the Netherlands before losing narrowly to Turkey.
Hopes are high that Ralf Rangnick’s team can go to a new level this summer. They impressed in qualifying and have recorded some notable wins in friendly matches, beating Germany 2-0 in November and thrashing Ghana 5-1 in March.
The team have fully bought into Ralf Rangnick’s gegenpressing plan, which fittingly has roots in Austria through coaching great Ernst Happel.
At Feyenoord, the Vienna native won the 1970 European Cup and the 1971 Eredivisie with what many view as the original version of the pressing blueprint.
Austria recorded a PPDA value of 7.1 in qualifying, the lowest among all nations. That means they allowed their opponents fewer passes before a defensive action – essentially, they were the most aggressive pressing team among Europe’s World Cup representatives.
Replicating that style may be a test in punishing heat, while technical teams could play through the press and exploit the space it leaves behind. But under Rangnick, top gear will always be the default setting.