Austria National Football Team Formation

Starting Lineup

Prass · Danso · Lienhart · Laimer · Schlager · Seiwald · Baumgartner · Sabitzer · R. Schmid · Wanner · Schlager

Austria plays with a 5-4-1 formation. This lineup is built to be defensively solid and relies on a high press to win the ball back in the middle third. The team looks to sit deep when the opponent has possession and then strike quickly through vertical passes.

Baumgartner acts as the last line of defense in goal. The back line consists of a back three with Seiwald, Schlager, and Sabitzer. Sabitzer and Schlager provide aerial strength and cover the space behind the wing backs. Wanner and R. Schmid act as wing backs who push high to provide width. They must track back quickly to help the three central defenders when the team loses possession.

The midfield works in a flat four to protect the center. Laimer and Prass form a double pivot to shield the defense and break up play. Laimer uses his high pressing intensity to disrupt the opposition. Danso and Lienhart occupy the half spaces as the left and right attacking midfielders. They connect the midfield to the striker by making runs into the box or drifting wide to help the wing backs.

Austria uses a lone striker in Schlager to lead the line. This player must hold up the ball to allow the midfield to push forward. The attack is built through wide play from Wanner and R. Schmid or through direct balls to the striker. Danso and Lienhart press high to force mistakes while Schlager works to pin the opposing defenders back.

This formation offers great compactness when defending in a low block. The double pivot of Laimer and Prass creates numerical superiority against many midfield pairings. The team also benefits from the speed of transition when they win the ball and immediately look to exploit the space behind the opponent.

The 5-4-1 formation makes Austria a hard team to break down through the middle. This lineup is best suited for matches against teams that dominate possession and rely on wide attacking players.