Austria's World Cup Qualification: A Review

Austria has a rich football history, with the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) founded in 1904. The men's national football team has participated in seven World Cup finals tournaments, most recently in 1998. Their best performance was a third-place finish in 1954, and they also placed fourth in 1934. The Austrian women's football team has also made strides, qualifying for their second consecutive Euro tournament in 2022. With a mix of talent and determination, both teams represent Austria with pride on the world stage.

Austria's 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign

Austria failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. They were placed in UEFA Group F, which also included Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Israel, Moldova, and Scotland. The group was played in a round-robin format, with teams playing each other home and away.

Austria finished fourth in their group, which saw them advance to the second round of qualifying (the play-offs). In the play-off semi-final, they faced Wales in Cardiff. Despite a goal from Marcel Sabitzer, Austria lost the match 2-1, with Gareth Bale scoring a brace for the Welsh. This result meant that Austria were out of the running for a place at the World Cup.

Austria's head coach, Franco Foda, stepped down from his position shortly after the failed World Cup campaign. He took full responsibility for his team's failure to qualify and said that the time was right to leave because they "couldn't fulfil [their] big dream."

Austria's 1938 World Cup withdrawal

Austria qualified for the 1938 World Cup in France, but after the annexation of Austria by the Third Reich, they withdrew from the tournament. This annexation, known as the Anschluss, united Austria with Germany, and as a result, some Austrian players joined the German squad. However, Austrian star player Matthias Sindelar refused to play for the unified team due to his patriotism and disapproval of the Nazi occupation.

The Austrian national squad, known as the "Wunderteam," had been a formidable force in the 1930s, even reaching the World Cup semi-final in 1934. Their inclusion in the German team for the 1938 World Cup was not enough to prevent an early exit for the Germans, however. In their opening match against Switzerland, the combined team drew 1-1, leading to a rematch to decide who would progress. In that game, Germany initially took the lead through Austrian forward Wilfried Hahnemann, but they eventually lost 4-2, resulting in their earliest World Cup exit since 1930.

The Austrian players who joined the German squad found themselves in a difficult position, wearing the Nazi symbol on their uniforms just months after the annexation of their country. The political situation leading up to World War II heavily influenced the 1938 World Cup, with fascist leaders seeking to use the tournament for propaganda purposes. Adolf Hitler, in particular, was hoping to redeem himself after the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where American sprinter Jesse Owens had stolen the show, and the German soccer team had been upset by Norway.

The 1938 World Cup was also notable for the absence of several countries, including Uruguay, Argentina, the United States, and Mexico, who refused to enter due to the controversial decision to hold the tournament in Europe for a second consecutive time. Spain was unable to participate due to the ongoing Spanish Civil War. The tournament ultimately featured 15 teams, with Austria's spot left empty, and their scheduled opponent, Sweden, advancing directly to the second round by default.

Austria's 1934 World Cup performance

Austria's performance at the 1934 World Cup was impressive, reaching the semi-finals and ultimately placing fourth.

The Austrian team, known as the Wunderteam, was revolutionary, with a style of play that was ground-breaking at the time. Their flexible, passing style wowed Europe in the early 1930s, and they were considered by many to be the best in the world.

Austria began the 1934 tournament with a 3-2 extra-time win over France. They then faced their old rivals, Hungary, in the quarter-finals, winning 2-1 with goals from Johann Horvath and Karl Zischek.

However, their journey ended in the semi-finals, where they were defeated 1-0 by the hosts and eventual champions, Italy. The only goal of the game was scored by Enrique Guaita. The Austrians were unable to rouse themselves for the third-place playoff, losing 2-3 to Germany.

The 1934 World Cup was marred by accusations of corruption and political interference by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, who was keen to use the tournament to promote fascism. Despite this, the Austrian Wunderteam's performance remains a memorable chapter in the history of football.

Austria's 1930 World Cup absence

Austria has participated in seven World Cup finals tournaments, most recently in 1998. However, the Austrian Football Association chose not to participate in the first-ever FIFA World Cup in 1930.

The 1930 FIFA World Cup, hosted in Uruguay, was the inaugural world championship for men's national football teams. FIFA selected Uruguay as the host nation as the country was celebrating the centenary of its first constitution, and the Uruguayan national football team had retained their football title at the 1928 Summer Olympics. All matches were played in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, with the majority held at the purpose-built Estadio Centenario.

Despite every country affiliated with FIFA being invited to compete, only 13 teams participated in the 1930 World Cup. This was due to the long and costly travel to South America, made more challenging by the Great Depression. Out of the 13 teams, seven were from South America, four from Europe, and two from North America. The four European teams that made the trip by sea were Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia.

Austria's absence from the 1930 World Cup may have been influenced by the difficulty of travelling to South America and the economic climate at the time. However, it's important to note that Austria was going through significant changes during this period, and the Austrian national football team would later be impacted by the country's political situation, leading to their withdrawal from the 1938 World Cup after the annexation of Austria by the Third Reich.

Austria's football history is filled with memorable moments, including the success of their revolutionary "Wunderteam" in the early 1930s. The Wunderteam, known for their flexible and passing style of play, reached the World Cup semi-finals in 1934 and left a lasting legacy on the sport.

Austria's 1950 World Cup withdrawal

Austria has participated in seven World Cup finals tournaments, most recently in 1998. The Austrian national football team, known as the "Wunderteam", became a dominant force in European football in the 1930s, finishing fourth in the 1934 FIFA World Cup and reaching the finals in 1938. However, they withdrew from the 1938 tournament following the annexation of Austria by the Third Reich, resulting in some Austrian players joining the German team.

In 1950, Austria initially registered to participate in the World Cup in Brazil and was scheduled to play Turkey in the qualifications. However, they withdrew, citing that their team was too inexperienced. This withdrawal allowed Switzerland and Turkey to qualify without playing their final round of matches.

Austria's absence from the 1950 World Cup was part of a broader trend of withdrawals and non-participation in the tournament's early history. The 1950 World Cup was the first to be held since 1938, as the 1942 and 1946 World Cups were cancelled due to World War II. In the aftermath of the war, many European countries were reluctant to host the event or send their teams to compete. Despite these challenges, the 1950 tournament was eventually held in Brazil, with 13 teams participating.

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