Arnautovic to lead the line for Austria at World Cup, Wanner & Chukwuemeka make squad

[p]The selection locks in the 37-year-old forward, anchoring an experienced core alongside captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alaba-david/hKx3nCTp/"]‌David Alaba[/a] and midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabitzer-marcel/8UkK3Y37/"]Marcel Sabitzer[/a] as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/austria/naHiWdnt/"]Austria[/a] ‌return to the world stage after a 28-year absence.[/p][p]Beyond the veteran ‌leadership, Rangnick’s squad selection is defined by a bold ‌infusion of youth, highlighted by the inclusion of newly naturalised talents [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wanner-paul/hpGfyeg0/"]Paul Wanner[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chukwuemeka-carney/tpQg2gso/"]Carney Chukwuemeka[/a].[/p][p][b]The dual-national midfielders, who play for PSV ‌Eindhoven and Borussia Dortmund respectively, committed their ⁠international futures to Austria this ‌year and have been fast-tracked into the squad.[/b][/p][p]While the midfield boasts ​depth, Rangnick faced a severe selection headache in central defence, resulting in heartbreak for several tournament regulars. ​[/p][embed guid="758fb690-6207-4755-a5d5-a2a33b5b278e" url="https://x.com/oefb1904/status/2056360478612267374?s=46" social-type="twitter" /][p]Long-term injury layoffs proved costly for Feyenoord's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/trauner-gernot/CQQMjpe7/"]Gernot Trauner[/a] and Werder Bremen's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wober-maximilian/tMiOs4wh/"]Maximilian Wober[/a]. Despite both returning to club action ⁠in April, the ​manager deemed them short of peak match fitness.[/p][p][b]"Ultimately, we decided based on what we already knew and what's needed for a tournament like this, which lasts a long time. We want ‌to go as far as possible at the World Cup,"[/b] Rangnick said on Monday.[/p][p][b]"We tried to invite the best players, but also those who are the right fit for our style of play."[/b][/p][p]Austria are in Group J and will start the tournament against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/jordan/vNcmJoU2/"]Jordan[/a] before facing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/algeria/nc87N1BR/"]Algeria[/a].[/p][h2]Austria's squad for the World Cup:[/h2][p][b]Goalkeepers: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pentz-patrick/2FdwiKP5/"]Patrick Pentz[/a] (Brondby), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schlager-alexander/l6a12jEC/"]Alexander Schlager[/a] (Red Bull Salzburg), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wiegele-florian/4S959aaD/"]Florian Wiegele[/a] (Viktoria Plzen)[/p][p][b]Defenders: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/affengruber-david/EFLxG99f/"]David Affengruber[/a] (Elche), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alaba-david/hKx3nCTp/"]David Alaba[/a] (Real Madrid), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/danso-kevin/z1MBQMNN/"]Kevin Danso[/a] (Tottenham ‌Hotspur), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/friedl-marco/jacFHyR9/"]Marco Friedl[/a] (Werder Bremen), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lienhart-philipp/Y11H2ibh/"]Philipp Lienhart[/a] (Freiburg), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mwene-philipp/troQho4L/"]Phillipp Mwene[/a] (​Mainz), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/posch-stefan/nsVWqZE2/"]Stefan Posch[/a] (Mainz), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/prass-alexander/0pNTmC8s/"]Alexander Prass[/a] (Hoffenheim), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/svoboda-michael/d6gJghfB/"]Michael Svoboda[/a] (Venezia)[/p][p][b]Midfielders: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baumgartner-christoph/rqcu4a9O/"]Christoph Baumgartner[/a] (RB Leipzig), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chukwuemeka-carney/tpQg2gso/"]Carney Chukwuemeka[/a] (Borussia Dortmund), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/grillitsch-florian/WfACar9B/"]Florian Grillitsch[/a] (Braga), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/laimer-konrad/GlHWqQKJ/"]Konrad Laimer[/a] (Bayern Munich), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabitzer-marcel/8UkK3Y37/"]Marcel Sabitzer[/a] (Borussia Dortmund), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schlager-xaver/M1bcCLIU/"]Xaver Schlager[/a] (RB Leipzig), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schmid-romano/lGA7E78J/"]Romano Schmid[/a] (Werder Bremen), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schopf-alessandro/0MWvMpbP/"]Alessandro Schopf[/a] (RZ Pellets WAC), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/seiwald-nicolas/fivkoAh0/"]Nicolas Seiwald[/a] (RB Leipzig), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wanner-paul/hpGfyeg0/"]Paul Wanner[/a] (PSV Eindhoven), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wimmer-patrick/jsOwmeQB/"]⁠Patrick Wimmer[/a] (VfL Wolfsburg)[/p][p][b]Forwards: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arnautovic-marko/WvR2ASLR/"]Marko ⁠Arnautovic[/a] (Crvena Zvezda), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gregoritsch-michael/fNPBHb0p/"]Michael ‌Gregoritsch[/a] (Augsburg), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kalajdzic-sasa/8Wq79aVu/"]Sasa Kalajdzic[/a] (LASK)[/p]