Women's EURO team guide: Austria
Monday, January 31, 2022
Article summary
A surprise package at the 2017 finals, Austria come to England as a recognised force who can make life difficult for any opponents.
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Group A fixtures
Wednesday 6 July
England vs Austria (21:00 CET, Old Trafford)
Monday 11 July
Austria vs Northern Ireland (18:00 CET, Southampton)
Friday 15 July
Austria vs Norway (21:00 CET, Brighton & Hove)
How they qualified: Group G runners-up (P8 W6 D1 L1 F22 A3)
Women's EURO best: Semi-finals (2017)
Women's EURO 2017: Semi-finals
Key player: Nicole Billa
In 2021, Billa was named as Women's Player of the Year in Austria and she was top scorer in Germany's Bundesliga in 2020/21 with 23 goals for Hoffenheim, six more than her nearest rival. A natural striker with great anticipation and a cool head, the Hoffenheim forward gives Austria serious class up front.
One to watch: Laura Wienroither
Wienroither's strong UEFA Women's Champions League performances with Hoffenheim made the versatile defender a transfer target for a number of clubs. She joined Arsenal in January 2022, meaning the 23-year-old will be on familiar territory when it comes to playing Women's EURO games in England.
Coach: Irene Fuhrmann
Capped 22 times by Austria as a player, Fuhrmann was the first female Austrian coach to receive a UEFA Pro licence, and coached the national Under-19 team before assisting Dominik Thalhammer with the senior side. The 42-year-old took over the top job in 2020, and has developed Austria's philosophy even further.
Tactics
Fuhrmann likes to keep opponents guessing, and has the players to be flexible. Under her guidance Austria have started with three, four and five at the back, and can be unpredictable up front too. However, if formations vary, the central concept remains the same: Austria are an intense side with a great work ethic. They press high, keep it tight at the back and are a tough nut to crack for any opponents.
Pedigree
This is only Austria's second Women's EURO, but the bar has been set high for them after they reached the semi-finals on their debut in 2017, only losing out to Denmark on penalties. They certainly won't be a surprise package at Women's EURO 2022: opponents now know fine well how good they are.
