Austria National Football Team Formation

Starting Lineup

Danso · Lienhart · Alaba · Arnautovic · Laimer · Schlager · Grillitsch · Sabitzer · Baumgartner · R. Schmid · Zawieschitzky

Austria looks to dominate through a high press and verticality using a 2-5-3 formation. This lineup seeks to win the ball back high up the pitch and immediately attack the opposition defense. By crowding the middle of the field, the team creates constant pressure to force long balls from the opponent.

Zawieschitzky acts as the last line of defense while the backline operates as a very high line. Danso and Lienhart serve as the two central defenders, tasked with covering large spaces and being dominant in the air. Because there are only two defenders, they must step up to squeeze the space and win the second ball quickly. They act as ball playing defenders to help play short from the back when starting an attack.

The midfield is the engine room of the Austria lineup, utilizing a dense five man unit. Alaba plays as a deep lying playmaker, dropping between the center backs to receive and help progress through the thirds. Laimer works alongside him in a double pivot to shield the defense and tackle aggressively. In the half spaces, Schlager and Grillitsch act as inverted eights to connect the lines and carry the ball forward. Sabitzer operates as an attacking ten, looking to arrive late into the box and split the defense with a through ball.

The attacking unit relies on a front three to pin the last defender and stretch the defense. Arnautovic acts as a target man, using his physical presence to hold up the ball and find the feet of his teammates. On the flanks, Baumgartner and R. Schmid work as wide wingers who hug the touchline to provide width. This allows them to receive the ball in space and either cut inside or whip it in toward the center. The forwards press from the front to force the opposition into mistakes.

This formation offers significant numerical superiority in midfield, making it difficult for opponents to control the center. The ability to press high in coordinated waves allows the team to win it back high up the pitch. By using wide wingers and a strong central presence, Austria can create overloads that force the opposition to shift and leave gaps in the channels.

Austria relies on extreme aggression and central dominance to overwhelm their opponents. This formation is best suited for games where the team needs to dominate possession and suffocate an opponent in their own half.