Only several Austrian players
with spells in European top five apart from Bundesliga can be considered the
best.
Austria might not be the top
nation in European football today. Their golden era has long gone. The team
which was known as the Wunderteam in 1920s and 1930s has turned into mediocre
before being able to qualify to UEFA Euro championship in the past three
editions. In the FIFA World Cup, Austria’s last appearance in the final round
was in France 1998, whereas their best campaign was in Switzerland 1954, as
they reached the semifinals.
Nevertheless, they never lack
talent. The Austrian top flight, also known as the Austrian Bundesliga, has
produced distinguished players from time to time. Mostly, they would switch
sides to their neighbour, the German Bundesliga, to improve their career.
Naturally, such is the popular destination due to the geographical proximity
and the same culture and language.
Yet, there have been others
who have been more adventurous too. They opted to ply their trade elsewhere
outside the Bundesliga to learn more and develop better than just limiting
themselves to the German-speaking countries and succeeded.
One of the examples recently
is the veteran forward Marko Arnautovic. The 35-year old striker has played in
four European top flights from Dutch Eredivisie, Bundesliga, Premier League and
Italian Serie A. The current Inter Milan man is seen as the important
understudy for Nerazzurri. His winning goal against Fiorentina in the midweek
fixture last week gave his team a crucial 2-1 victory at home to put pressure
on the league leader, Napoli.
Arnautovic might not be the
best Austrian player with stints outside the Bundesliga. His role in Inter is
only a supersub with 10 goals and four assists in 52 games so far. The forward
with 120 international caps became the first choice during his spells with
Stoke City, West Ham, Werder Bremen, and Bologna. However, he thrives better
than his teammate on the national team, Marcel Sabitzer, whose loan move to
Manchester United did not really leave a high note in his career.
Here are other Austrian
footballers who had been in-form in European top five but Bundesliga. Some of
them even have snatched continental titles with La Liga giants.
David Alaba (Real
Madrid)
The current Real Madrid man
is one of the finest Austrian talent today. He began his career in Bayern from
their youth system after leaving Austria Vienna in 2008. The versatile wing
back then rose to prominence with the Bavarian side and enjoyed the trophy
laden years there, including double treble winners in 2013 and 2020.
In 2021, Alaba opted to
switch side to La Liga giant as Sergio Ramos’s successor. He made an impact
soon as he scored one of the goals in UEFA Super Cup victory over Frankfurt,
plus lifted another Champions League trophy in his first season, along with La
Liga title.
Unfortunately, the
32-year-old centre back suffered a long term injury in December 2023, which
kept him on the side line for 13 months before returning to the pitch last
month. Alaba has made 107 appearances, contributing five goals and nine assists
in the process for Los Blancos.
Alaba has yet been able to
bring his country to qualify to FIFA World Cup, but has managed to feature in
two EURO editions, 2016, and 2020. He helped Austria progress to the round of
16 in the latter only to lose 2-1 against one of the hosts and eventual winner,
Italy.
|
Appearances (goal-assists) |
Notable matches |
Titles / achievement |
|
107 (5-9) |
vs Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0
(UEFA Super Cup) vs Barcelona 2-1 (A) (La Liga
2021/22) vs Liverpool 1-0 (UCL 2022
final) |
La Liga 2x, UCL 2x, Copa
del Rey 2023, FIFA Club World Cup 2022, UEFA Super Cup 2x, FIFA
Intercontinental Cup 2024. |
Toni Polster (Torino,Sevilla,
Logrones, Rayo Vallecano)
He was one of the underrated goalscorers in his peak
years. Polster had spells in Italy and Spain throughout his career but never
played for big teams.
His first club abroad was Torino in the 1987/88
campaign. Polster did not shine but contributed well enough to help Il Torro
finish sixth and reached the Coppa Italia final at the end of the season. The
towering striker bagged 14 goals and one assist for the Turin side in 40 games.
The Austrian international who was part of 1990 and
1998 FIFA World Cup squad thrived better in Sevilla. He spent three seasons
with the Andalusian side and managed to contribute better with 57 goals in 114
matches, which helped them finish fifth in 1990. Polster also netted 33 times
in Spanish top flight, which earned him a second place in the top scorer list
in that season.
In the following two campaign, he left Sevilla as
they signed Diego Maradona and Davor Suker and joined two minnows, Logrones,
where he played alongside Julen Lopetegui and the former Villareal and Barcelona boss, Quique Setien, and Rayo Vallecano. Polster eventually departed
from Spain in summer 1993 to sign for FC Koln.
The Vienna-born striker capped 95 times on the
international stage and helped Austria qualify in two World Cup editions. Yet,
he only scored once in the final round as he bagged a late equalizer versus
Cameroon in France 1998.
|
Appearances (goal-assists) |
Notable matches |
Titles / achievement |
|
Torino 40 (14-1) |
vs Sampdoria 4-1 (H) Serie
A – scored a hattrick vs Fiorentina 2-1 (H) Serie
A – scored a brace vs Napoli 3-2 (A) Coppa Italia
¼ final – scored a winning goal vs Sampdoria 2-1 (H) Coppa
Italia final – scored one |
- 6th place
finish - Coppa Italia finalist |
|
Sevilla 114 (57) |
vs Atletico Madrid 4-1 (H) La
Liga 1989– scored one vs Real Madrid 1-1 (H) La
Liga 1989 – scored an equalizer vs Barcelona 4-3 (A) La Liga
1990 – scored a brace vs Barcelona 1-1 (H) La
Liga 1990 – scored one vs Real Madrid 2-0 (H) La
Liga 1991 |
5th place finish
(1989/90) |
|
Logrones 46 (22) |
vs Deportivo La Coruna 2-1
(H) La Liga 1992 – scored a brace vs Real Madrid 1-0 (H) La Liga
1992 – scored a winning goal |
|
|
Rayo Vallecano 34 (14) |
vs Real Madrid 2-0 (H) La Liga
1993 – scored one vs Barcelona 3-3 (H) La Liga
1993 – scored a hattrick |
|
Michael Konsel (AS
Roma and Venezia)
He is one of the best Austria goalkeepers in
history. Konsel was part of Rapid Wina’s golden years when they reached the
final twice in UEFA Winners Cup, 1985 and 1996 respectively. Although they lost
in both games, his form was rated positively, especially in the latter final,
which led his move to Italian top flight.
Konsel joined AS Roma in summer 1997 and stayed for
two years before ending his career in Venezia in 2000. His decision to switch
side to Giallorossi at the age of 35 was right as he was able to handle
pressure in the competitive league. The Vienna-born shot stopper was even voted
as the team’s best goalkeeper in his first season.
Unfortunately, his top form was not enough to
deliver trophies for Roma. Francesco Totti and Co only finished 6th
and 5th respectively. Overall, he made 45 appearances with 12 clean sheet
in all competition. In Venezia, Konsel still managed to feature in 17 games and
made six clean sheet in the 1999/2000 season. However, despite their stunning
wins over the elite sides, Venezia only sat 16th in the standings.
|
Appearances (clean sheet) |
Notable matches |
Titles / achievement |
|
AS Roma 45 (12) |
vs Juventus 0-0 (H) 1998
Serie A vs Fiorentina 1-1 (A) 1998 Serie
A vs AC Milan 0-0 (A) 1998 Serie
A |
5th place finish
(1998/89) |
|
Venezia 17 (6) |
vs Inter Milan 1-0 (H) vs Lazio 2-0 (H) vs Fiorentina 2-1 (H) |
|
Christian Fuchs
(Leicester City)
He was the left back in Leicester City when they won
Premier League 2016, making him the first Austrian to win EPL as regular
starter. The previous Austrian who lifted the trophy, Arsenal goalie, Alex
Manninger, was not the first choice under Arsene Wenger.
Fuchs initially was not in the main team under
Claudio Ranieri. He got a nod in the starting line up in October 2015 after The
Foxes suffered a heavy 5-2 loss from Arsenal. From then on, he became
undisputed figure in the left side of the defence until 2018. Despite losing
his place afterwards, he did not opt to leave Leicester until 2021, when he was
part of Brendan Rodgers’ squad to win FA Cup. Overall, the left back who ended
his career in USA featured 152 matches with The Foxes, notched up three goals
and provided 13 assists.
In the national team, the former Schalke, Bochum and
Mainz man earned 78 caps. He was part of the squad in EURO 2008 and 2016 before
he retired from international games.
|
Appearances (goal - assist) |
Notable matches |
Titles / achievement |
|
152 (3-13) |
vs Manchester United 1-1 (H)
EPL 2016 – one assist vs Tottenham 1-0 (A) EPL
2016 – one assist vs Manchester City 3-1 (A)
EPL 2016 – one assist vs Club Brugge 2-1 (H) UCL
2017 |
EPL 2015/16 FA Cup 2021. |
Hans Krankl
(Barcelona)
He was the most famous Austrian player in the late 1970s
to 1980s. Krankl was prolific goalscorer for his country and clubs, including
Barcelona, where he only had a brief stint.
The former Rapid Vienna man joined the Catalan side
in summer 1978 as Johan Cryuff’s replacement. At that time, the team was going
through a rebuilding phase following the departure of Cryuff and his boss, Rinus
Michels. Lucien Muller, the former Barcelona man in the 1960s was appointed to
lead Blaugrana.
Krankl instantly proved his worth in his first
season. He became the top scorer in La Liga with 29 goals, plus netted another
seven (one in Copa Del Rey and six in Winners Cup) and set up eight in the
campaign. Although he failed to lift up Blaugrana as they only finished six on
the table, the Vienna-born striker was the key man in their success in
clinching continental silverware. Barcelona thumped Fortuna Dusseldorf 4-3 in
the summit.
Unfortunately, he fell out with the new boss,Joaquim Rife, in the following season. In addition, his form also dipped upon
the arrival of new signings, Allan Simonsen and Quini, in 1979 and 1980
respectively. The Austrian legendary forward eventually returned to his former
side, Rapid Vienna, despite the offers from other big clubs, in summer 1981.
In the international stage, Krankl made 69
appearances, including in 1978 and 1982 FIFA World Cup. Austria managed to
advance to the second group stage in the tournament. He registered 34 goals and
one assist with his national team.
|
Appearances (goal - assist) |
Notable matches |
Titles / achievement |
|
61 (45-8) |
vs Rayo Vallecano 9-0 (H) La
Liga 1978/79 – scored five vs Real Madrid 2-0 (H) La Liga
1978/79 – scored one vs Fortuna Dusseldorf 4-3
Winners Cup Final – scored one |
UEFA Winners Cup 1979 |
Herbert Prohaska
(Inter Milan and AS Roma)
Last but not least, Krankl’s teammate in the
national team, is undoubtedly one of the best Austrian footballers with spells
outside Bundesliga. Unlike the forward who never won the league title abroad,
Prohaska did it with AS Roma in 1983. Previously, he played for Inter Milan for
two seasons and snatched Coppa Italia in 1982.
Prohaska was a versatile midfielder during his peak
years. His stint with Nerazzurri did not result as satisfyingly as with
Giallorossi. He only managed to help them finish fourth and fifth in Serie A.
In Roma, the former Austria boss in 1998 FIFA World Cup made an instant success
in his only season there.
The ex-Austria Vienna man was capped 83 times and
netted 10 goals plus one assist. He featured in all games during the world cup
campaign in Argentina 1978 and Spain 1982.
|
Appearances (goal-assist) |
Notable matches |
Titles / achievement |
|
Inter Milan 81 (11-2) |
vs Torino 1-0 (A) Serie A
1980/81 – scored a winning goal vs AC Milan 1-0 (H) Serie A
1981/82 – one winning assist vs AC Milan 2-1 (A) Serie A
1981/82 – scored one |
Coppa Italia 1982 |
|
AS Roma 42 (5-1) |
vs Inter 0-0 (A) |
Serie A 1983 |
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