Austria at the FIFA World Cup

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This is a record of Austria's results at the FIFA World Cup. Austria has played at seven World Cup finals tournaments, most recently in 1998. They also qualified for the tournament in 1938, but withdrew after the annexation of Austria by the Third Reich, with some of its team members joining the German team.

Contents

Summary

1930 World Cup in Uruguay

The first edition of the FIFA World Cup in Uruguay was the only one without qualifiers. However, the Austrian Football Association chose not to participate.

1934 World Cup in Italy

After defeating France and Hungary on their way into the semi-finals, the strong Austrian squad lost 0–1 to hosts and eventual champions Italy. In the Third Place Match against Germany, Austria conceded a goal after 25 seconds by Ernst Lehner - the fastest goal in World Cup history until 1962.

1938 World Cup in France

After qualifying by defeating Latvia in the qualifiers, Austria was drawn against Sweden in the first round. However, after the Anschluss in March 1938, the Austrian Football Association was incorporated into the German system. Nine Austrian players were called up for the Germany national squad instead. After being fielded in the opening match against Switzerland, Willibald Schmaus and goalkeeper Rudolf Raftl were the first players ever to represent two different nations at the FIFA World Cup. The match ended 1-1. In the decisive rematch, Austrian striker Wilfried Hahnemann scored the opening goal, but the final score was 2-4 and Germany eliminated from the tournament.

1950 World Cup in Brazil

Austria initially registered to participate and was supposed to play Turkey in the qualifications, but withdrew. At a later stage, Turkey also withdrew.

1982 World Cup in Spain

Drawn in Group 2 alongside Algeria, Chile, and the Federal Republic of (West) Germany, Austria gained traction by defeating the South Americans 1–0 in the first group match. Austria later won 2–0 over the Algerians that saw them at a comfortable position in the group stage; however, Algeria, having already beaten West Germany in an upset, found themselves victorious against an already-eliminated Chile, and thus were all-but guaranteed to proceed to the next round alongside Germany, potentially leaving Austria out.

Austria played their decisive final group stage encounter against neighbors West Germany in Gijón, Spain, in one of the most controversial matches in World Cup history. Nicknamed "the Disgrace of Gijón, the match saw West Germany scoring once against Austria before both teams and players deliberately played underwhelmingly, wasting the clock and mathematically having both European teams of the group qualify at the expense of Africa's Algeria, the latter whom had defeated the Chileans a day prior to conclude their part of the group stage. Outrage from Algerian fans and Spanish spectators ensued, and both the German and Austrian media condemned the underhanded tactics of both teams' method of subversive "boring" football, with the German commentary team constantly apologizing to viewers for the sub-par action. Algerian football fans dubbed the match "the Anschluss", a reference to Austria being annexed by Germany under the Nazi regime. Austria saw themselves bowing out in a three-team group of the second stage, losing to France and drawing with Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, West Germany reached the final, losing 3–1 to European rivals Italy.

Record at the FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup record
YearRoundPositionPldWD*LGFGA
Flag of Uruguay.svg 1930 Did not enter
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg 1934 Fourth place4th420277
Flag of France.svg 1938 Withdrew
Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg 1950
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 1954 Third place3rd54011712
Flag of Sweden.svg 1958 Group stage15th301227
Flag of Chile.svg 1962 Withdrew
Flag of England.svg 1966 Did not qualify
Flag of Mexico.svg 1970
Flag of Germany.svg 1974
Flag of Argentina.svg 1978 Quarter-finals [a] 7th6303710
Flag of Spain.svg 1982 Second round8th521254
Flag of Mexico.svg 1986 Did not qualify
Flag of Italy.svg 1990 Group stage18th310223
Flag of the United States.svg 1994 Did not qualify
Flag of France (lighter variant).svg 1998 Group stage23rd302134
Flag of South Korea (1997-2011).svg Flag of Japan.svg 2002 Did not qualify
Flag of Germany.svg 2006
Flag of South Africa.svg 2010
Flag of Brazil.svg 2014
Flag of Russia.svg 2018
Flag of Qatar.svg 2022
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Flag of Mexico.svg Flag of the United States.svg 2026 To be determined
Flag of Morocco.svg Flag of Portugal.svg Flag of Spain.svg 2030
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg 2034
TotalThird place7/2529124134347
*Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

By Match

World CupRoundOpponentScoreResultVenueScorers
1934 Round of 16Flag of France.svg  France 3–2 ( a.e.t. )W Turin M. Sindelar, A. Schall, J. Bican
Quarter-finalsFlag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg  Hungary 2–1 W Bologna J. Horvath, K. Zischek
Semi-finalsFlag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy 0–1 L Milan
Third place play-offFlag of Germany (1933-1935).svg  Germany 2–3 L Naples J. Horvath, K. Sesta
1954 Group stageFlag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 1–0 W Zürich E. Probst
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 5–0 W Zürich E. Probst (3), E. Stojaspal (2)
Quarter-finalsFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 7–5 W Lausanne T. Wagner (3), A. Körner (2), E. Ocwirk, E. Probst
Semi-finalsFlag of Germany.svg  West Germany 1–6 L Basel E. Probst
Third place play-offFlag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 3–1 W Zürich E. Stojaspal, L. Cruz (o.g.), E. Ocwirk
1958 Group stageFlag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 0–3 L Uddevalla
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 0–2 L Borås
Flag of England.svg  England 2–2 D Borås K. Koller, A. Körner
1978 Group stageFlag of Spain.svg  Spain 2–1 W Buenos Aires W. Schachner, H. Krankl
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1–0 W Buenos Aires H. Krankl
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 0–1 L Mar del Plata
Second roundFlag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1–5 L Córdoba E. Obermayer
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 0–1 L Buenos Aires
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 3–2 W Córdoba H. Krankl (2), B. Vogts (o.g.)
1982 Group stageFlag of Chile.svg  Chile 1–0 W Oviedo W. Schachner
Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria 2–0 W Oviedo W. Schachner, H. Krankl
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 0–1 L Gijón
Second roundFlag of France (lighter variant).svg  France 0–1 L Madrid
Ulster Banner.svg  Northern Ireland 2–2 D Madrid B. Pezzey, R. Hintermaier
1990 Group stageFlag of Italy.svg  Italy 0–1 L Rome
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 0–1 L Florence
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 2–1 W Florence A. Ogris, G. Rodax
1998 Group stageFlag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon 1–1 D Toulouse A. Polster
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 1–1 D Saint-Étienne I. Vastić
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 1–2 L Saint-Denis A. Herzog

Record by Opponent

FIFA World Cup matches (by team)
OpponentWinsDrawsLossesTotalGoals ScoredGoals Conceded
Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria 100120
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 002204
Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon 010111
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 110221
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 101251
Flag of England.svg  England 010122
Flag of France.svg  France 101233
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 001123
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 100121
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 004415
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 001115
Ulster Banner.svg  Northern Ireland 010122
Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 100110
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 001102
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 100121
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 100110
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 100175
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 100121
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 100131
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 102349

Record players

Defender Bruno Pezzey is Austria's joint record player at FIFA World Cups. He played all eleven matches at the 1978 and 1982 tournaments, reaching the second group stage both times. Bruno Pezzey.jpg
Defender Bruno Pezzey is Austria's joint record player at FIFA World Cups. He played all eleven matches at the 1978 and 1982 tournaments, reaching the second group stage both times.
RankPlayerMatchesWorld Cups
1 Friedrich Koncilia 111978 and 1982
Erich Obermayer 111978 and 1982
Bruno Pezzey 111978 and 1982
Herbert Prohaska 111978 and 1982
5 Hans Krankl 101978 and 1982
6 Gerhard Hanappi 81954 and 1958
Karl Koller 81954 and 1958
Walter Schachner 81978 and 1982
9 Alfred Körner 71954 and 1958

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerGoalsWorld Cups
1 Erich Probst 61954
2 Hans Krankl 51978 (4) and 1982 (1)
3 Ernst Stojaspal 31954
Theodor Wagner 31954
Alfred Körner 31954 (2) and 1958 (1)
Walter Schachner 31978 (1) and 1982 (2)

Awards

Team awards

Individual awards

Ernst Happel has won 2nd Place as a coach with the Netherlands in 1978 after losing the final 3-1 a.e.t. to Argentina

Notes

  1. Last 8 held as second group stage.

See also