Austria National Football Team Formation

Starting Lineup

Baumgartner · Wimmer · Sabitzer · Schlager · Seiwald · Grillitsch · Danso · Laimer · Alaba · Lienhart · Bachmann

Austria plays an aggressive brand of football built to control the middle of the pitch through a 2-6-2 formation. This lineup focuses on overwhelming the center to maintain possession and squeeze the opponent. The team aims to dominate the central zones to win the ball back quickly and keep the play in the opposition half.

Bachmann acts as the goalkeeper to protect the goal. The back line is a narrow pair of central defenders consisting of Lienhart and Danso. Lienhart works to play out from the back while Danso relies on his aerial strength to defend against long balls. Because the formation uses a back two, they must hold a high line to compress the pitch. They rely on the large midfield unit to cover them and prevent runners from breaking the line.

The heart of the Austria side is a massive engine with six players working to control the game. Alaba operates in a deep role to distribute play and uses his passing range to find teammates. Grillitsch and Laimer sit in front of the defense to shield the two center backs. Laimer uses his pressing intensity to win the ball high up the pitch. Sabitzer, Schlager, and Seiwald drive the ball forward to connect the lines. By using his passing range, Sabitzer splits the defense with a through ball and makes late runs into the box.

The front line uses two forwards in a partnership consisting of Baumgartner and Wimmer. They do not hug the touchline but instead work centrally to pin the last defender. Baumgartner looks to find the feet of the striker and hold up the ball to allow others to join. Wimmer makes constant runs in behind to exploit the space. The attack is built by the midfielders who carry the ball forward and look to deliver a cross or a cutback.

A major tactical strength is the numerical superiority in midfield which makes it very hard for opponents to play through the lines. The side can also press in coordinated waves to win the ball back quickly. This creates a high level of compactness when defending the central areas.

This 2-6-2 formation is built for total control of the center of the pitch. It is best suited for games where the team needs to suffocate an opponent through central congestion.