Rangnick World Cup Balance Sheet: Austria Well Represented – Nations League Set to Begin

Retrospective with Obstacles

Rangnick also acknowledged that the path to elimination had not been free of resistance. „Einige Hindernisse seien zu überwinden gewesen", he summarized. The „Engagement, der Zusammenhalt und die Art und Weise" had nevertheless been „außergewöhnlich". With that, the coach painted the picture of a team that presented itself as a collective despite difficult phases.

Looking ahead, Rangnick clearly focused on the upcoming tasks. He looked forward to „mit den Juns im September den nächsten Schritt zu gehen", the German explained. He was „fest davon überzeugt, dass in dieser Mannschaft noch viel Potenzial steckt und wir gemeinsam noch einiges erreichen können."

Outlook on the Nations League

The next fixture on the ÖFB's schedule is the Nations League. On September 24, the Austrian side is scheduled to play a home match against Israel in Linz. Three days later, on September 27, the team hosts Kosovo in Vienna. This marks the start of a dense phase for Austria, with four matches within a few weeks.

After the two home matches, the squad travels to Ireland on October 1, before taking on Kosovo away on October 4, three days after the duel in Ireland. The league phase concludes with another home match on November 14, again in Linz, against Ireland. Rangnick and his team thus face a compact schedule between September and November.

Home Matches in Linz and Vienna

The home match against Israel on September 24 is also a special case because Israel currently plays its home matches in Debrecen. The match against the Israeli side, which is scheduled in the league phase for Austria as an away fixture in Debrecen, will therefore take place under special organizational circumstances. The background is the political situation in the country, which currently does not permit regular home matches in Israel.

In terms of content, the Nations League is about Austria's return to League A. Last year, the team under Rangnick was denied promotion to the top tier of the UEFA competition. With the upcoming matches against Israel, Kosovo, and Ireland, there is now another chance to achieve this goal.

League A as Season Objective

Beyond the league phase, the competition has another significance: the Nations League also marks the kickoff of qualifying for the 2028 European Championship. The final tournament will be held in Great Britain and Ireland. For Rangnick and his team, the upcoming matches thus combine both the immediate task in the Nations League and the long-term path toward Euro 2028.

Rangnick had initially taken a few days after the tournament to put the World Cup experience into perspective. He used this phase of reflection to evaluate both the course of events and the mood within the team. The result of this review was visibly conciliatory, even though the sporting departure from the tournament had not met expectations.

Euro 2028 in Great Britain and Ireland

The significance of the performance also becomes clear against the background that the team was visible on the international stage at the tournament in North America. Rangnick pointed out that each individual had placed themselves at the service of the team – an indication that within the squad, despite the disappointment over the early end, there was no rupture but rather a sense of togetherness.

With the Nations League, a new chapter now begins for Austria, in which the team is to build on the experience gathered during the World Cup. In his own words, Rangnick sees „noch viel Potenzial" in his kades and formulates the ambition of wanting to „gemeinsam noch einiges zu erreichen". This statement marks the transition from the retrospective on the World Cup to the preparation for the upcoming tasks.

Between Retrospective and Preparation

The ÖFB therefore faces an autumn of high sporting significance. In four league matches, the stakes are not only points for the Nations League table and the goal of League A, but also an initial benchmark with a view to Euro qualifying. Rangnick's balance is deliberately even-handed: recognition for what has been achieved, while simultaneously looking ahead.

The coming weeks will show whether the team can build on the togetherness displayed during the World Cup. Rangnick himself has set the tone with his public statements: recognition for the past, confidence in the future.