Austria National Football Team Formation

Starting Lineup

Prass · Posch · Pentz · Wöber · Lienhart · Grillitsch · Seiwald · Laimer · Arnautovic · Baumgartner · Sabitzer

Austria relies on a heavy press and quick transitions to catch opponents off guard. This 5-2-3 formation is built to play vertical football that moves the ball rapidly from the back to the front. By using a wide attacking front, the team aims to stretch the defence and win the ball high up the pitch.

Pentz sits in goal to anchor the defensive unit. The lineup features a back five with Grillitsch acting as the central man in a narrow defensive block. Lienhart and Wöber act as the wide centre backs, ready to cover space or step up to intercept passes. Posch and Prass operate as attacking wing backs, pushing high to provide width while tracking back to maintain the defensive line. This formation ensures Austria stays compact when the opposition has the ball.

The midfield consists of a double pivot with Laimer and Seiwald working in tandem. Laimer uses his high pressing intensity to win the ball back in central areas, while Seiwald works to shield the defence and recycle possession. This duo connects the back five to the attackers, with Laimer often driving forward to join the press. They must work hard to cover the space left by the advancing wing backs.

Up front, the team uses three attackers to pin the last defender. Arnautovic acts as a target man to hold up the ball and bring others into play. Sabitzer plays as an inverted winger, cutting inside to use his passing range and create chances from the half spaces. Baumgartner provides width on the left and makes runs in behind to stretch the defence. The front line works to press the opposition back line, looking to hit in behind on the transition.

A key advantage of this formation is the ability to press high in coordinated waves, making it hard for opponents to play out from the back. The presence of Posch and Prass creates wide overloads when they overlap the wingers. Additionally, the back five provides great compactness when defending, making it difficult for teams to find gaps in the middle.

This 5-2-3 formation makes Austria a dangerous side in games focused on transitions. It is best suited for matches against teams that struggle to play through a high press or defend against wide overloads.