Franco Foda has the best win percentage of any Austria coach yet a perceived lack of flair has led to criticism. Can they turn on the style this summer?
This article is part of the Guardian’s Euro 2020 Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 24 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.
This is only the second time Austria have qualified for a European Championship (they co-hosted in 2008 so that doesn’t count). In 2016 a preview would have talked about a country regaining its long-lost love for football, about expectations and the thrilling beauty of the underdog as well as the joy of seeing children in the park wearing Austria kits instead of the ubiquitous Bayern and Barcelona ones.
