Austria's Euro Exit: What Happened And Why?

Austria has not been knocked out of the Euros as of yet. They reached the last 16 at the Euros in 2020 and 2024, making these their most successful campaigns so far. In 2024, Austria has a 5.3% chance of winning the UEFA European Championship in Germany.

Austria's performance in the 2020 Euros

After finishing second in their group, Austria came up against Italy in the round of 16. The Italians had been in imperious form, winning all three of their group games without conceding a goal. Austria, meanwhile, had already made history by reaching this stage for the first time, their previous three appearances at the Euros ending in group stage exits.

The game was a tense affair, with Italy dominating possession in the first half but unable to break down a resilient Austrian defence. The game remained goalless after 90 minutes, but Italy finally found a breakthrough in the 95th minute through a stunning strike from Federico Chiesa. This opened the floodgates, with further goals from Matteo Pessina and a consolation from Sasa Kalajdzic resulting in a final score of 2-1 to Italy.

Austria's manager, Franco Foda, could have set his team up to play defensively, but instead, they decided to take the game to Italy. This resulted in an entertaining match, with Austria producing a valiant display and refusing to let Italy dictate play in the second half.

Austria's star player, David Alaba, led by example, and their performance overall gave their fans plenty to cheer about, despite the loss.

Austria's 2024 Euros qualification

Austria has appeared in four editions of the UEFA European Championship: 2008, 2016, 2020, and 2024.

Austria automatically qualified for the 2008 Euros as they were one of the host nations. They exited at the group stage after losing two games and drawing one.

In 2016, Austria qualified as winners of their qualifying group but again exited in the group stage, this time with just one point.

For the 2020 Euros, Austria finished second in their group and reached the knockout stage for the first time. They were eventually eliminated by Italy in the round of 16 after extra time.

Austria's 2024 Euros campaign saw them finish top of their group for the first time, ahead of former winners France and the Netherlands. They advanced to the knockout stage for the second time but were eliminated in the round of 16 by Turkey.

Austria's 2020 Euros quarter-final match against Italy

Austria's 2020 Euros quarter-final hopes were dashed by Italy in a last-16 match that ended 2-1. Austria put up a valiant display in their first appearance in the knockout stage of the European Championship, but Italy's substitutes proved to be the difference. Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina, who came off the bench, scored in the first half of extra time to secure Italy's place in the quarter-finals.

Austria refused to go down without a fight and pulled a goal back through Sasa Kalajdzic's header with five minutes left to play. This was the first goal Italy had conceded in 12 games, ending their record-breaking unbeaten streak. Austria's manager, Franco Foda, could have set his team up to play defensively, but instead, they met Italy head-on, resulting in a thrilling encounter.

Marko Arnautovic, the Austria forward, had a goal ruled out for offside in the second half of normal time, and he was left frustrated by the narrow loss. Austria's captain, David Alaba, echoed his sentiments, expressing pride in their performance despite the disappointing result.

Italy's manager, Roberto Mancini, acknowledged the toughness of the match and praised his team's depth, highlighting the impact of the substitutes in changing the game. Italy's victory over Austria extended their unbeaten run to 31 matches, setting a new national team record.

Italy then went on to face Belgium or Portugal in the quarter-finals, with Mancini anticipating a challenging encounter against either opponent.

Austria's 2020 Euros knockout stage debut

Austria's debut in the knockout stage of the Euros came in 2020, when they reached the round of 16 for the first time.

Austria booked their place in the knockout stage of the 2020 Euros by finishing second in their group. They had beaten North Macedonia in their opening game, lost to the Netherlands in their second group match, and then beat Ukraine 1-0 in their final group game, thanks to a goal from Christoph Baumgartner.

In the round of 16, Austria faced Italy at Wembley. Austria produced a valiant display, refusing to allow Italy to dictate play and meeting them head-on. The game was tense and guaranteed a certain level of excitement, with Austria determined to pass the ball out of their own penalty area under constant attention from the Italy strikers. Austria's star player, David Alaba, was as direct as Italy's Leonardo Spinazzola when he found space to run into.

The game went to extra time, with Italy scoring two goals in the first half. Austria pulled one back with a wonderful glancing header by Sasa Kalajdzic in the final five minutes, but it wasn't enough to stop Italy from advancing to the quarter-finals.

Austria's 2020 campaign marked the first time they had progressed beyond the group stage of the Euros, and their first time reaching the knockout stage.

Austria's 2021 Euros exit

Austria's campaign started with a 3-1 win over North Macedonia, which was their first-ever victory in the competition. This was followed by a 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands and a 1-0 win over Ukraine, which saw them finish second in their group and advance to the knockout stage.

Austria's round of 16 match against Italy at Wembley Stadium was a closely fought contest. The Austrians frustrated the Italians, forcing the game into extra time. However, two goals in quick succession from Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina put Italy ahead. Austria pulled one back with a header from Sasa Kalajdzic in the 114th minute, but they were unable to find an equaliser and were ultimately eliminated.

Despite the loss, Austria's performance at Euro 2020 earned them a lot of praise, and they left the tournament with newfound respect. They showcased an attacking style of football and a determination to pass the ball out from the back, even under pressure. Their captain, David Alaba, led the team with distinction, and their striker, Marko Arnautovic, also had a notable impact, despite being suspended for one game due to an on-field rant.

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