Van der Bellen rallies ÖFB team ahead of Spain match: "Gemma, Burschen!"

Alexander Van der Bellen congratulated the ÖFB team "zum bisherigen Weg" at the World Cup and addressed directly the strain of recent matches. "Manchmal war's ein mühsamer Kampf, wir haben auch hier mitgezittert," said the federal president. He referenced the closing stages against Algeria, when the Austrians were made to sweat once more, and specifically praised Sasa Kalajdzic: "Was da in den letzten fünf Minuten gegen Algerien passiert ist – also pah, keine Worte, außer: Bravo, Sasa Kalajdzic."

Federal President praises commitment and fighting spirit

Alongside praise for effort and team spirit, Van der Bellen looked ahead. He described the upcoming clash with Spain as another major challenge. "Jetzt wartet ein weiterer großer Gegner. Es wird nicht leicht, aber es ist nun einmal die Weltmeisterschaft," he said. The message closed with an appeal in Austrian vernacular: "Jetzt heißt es dranbleiben, volle Kraft voraus, gemma, Burschen!"

The response from the team came promptly. Marko Arnautovic weighed in with the words "Coole Nachricht" and spoke of a clear objective. "Das wird nicht leicht, aber es ist nun einmal die Weltmeisterschaft." David Alaba struck a similar note: "Der David, die Mannschaft und ich werden alles dafür tun, dass wir ein positives Resultat rausholen." He said the aim was to ensure that "die Reise hier weitergeht," said Alaba.

Alaba and Arnautovic express their thanks

Both players also emphasized how much the support from home means to them. "Wir kriegen das hier natürlich mit und sind stolz darauf," Alaba explained. Arnautovic also thanked the fans who "so lange wach bleiben und uns jeden Tag unterstützen." Alaba said that the team feeling that support was an important factor at a tournament like this.

Sportingly, the Austrians face Spain on Thursday (9:00 PM CEST, live on ServusTV) in the Round of 16. The team has so far "natürlich die Mannschaft, aber auch uns alle so weit gebracht," Van der Bellen said in his message. Both sides know: a win would mean a historic progression to the next round, a defeat would end the World Cup journey.

Outlook on the duel with Spain

Nothing about the tactical approach or personnel decisions for the match against Spain can be gleaned from the video message. The focus was on appreciation, encouragement, and a reminder of what the team had already achieved on its path to the Round of 16. Van der Bellen's words underscored the bond between the head of state and the team.

Alaba and Arnautovic announced they would give "Vollgas" against Spain. Whether the match truly becomes an "unvergessliche Nacht," as coverage around the game has suggested, would become clear in the evening, according to sources close to the team.