Ralf Rangnick: Waiting For Birthday Gifts Through Austrian Achievement Records

JAKARTA - Last Saturday 29 June was a special moment at the Austrian national team camp at UEFA EURO 2024: Ralf Rangnick, the team coach, celebrated his 66th birthday.

Rangnick could not only look back at the very successful Euros in his homeland, where the Austrian national team finished as winners of Group D, but also recorded brilliant achievements in his post at the BBC.

Since the end of May 2022, Rangnick has led the Austrian national team in 25 matches, winning 15 wins, 4 draws, and 6 defeats. This means an average of 1.96 points per game, which is the best statistic among all national team coaches to lead more than five games.

Under his leadership, Austria managed to beat big teams such as Croatia (3-0), Italy (2-0), Germany (2-0), and the Netherlands (3-2) in this Euro.

With Rangnick on the sidelines, the Austrian national team won the group title for the first time in Euro history and reached the last 16 for the second time in total.

"Let's start the truth," Rangnick said after Austria's last win over the Netherlands, adding, "We knew we had to appear at the highest level."

In the round of 16, Austria will face Turkey in Leipzig, the city he used to live in while serving as sporting director and occasionally as coach at RB Leipzig between 2012 and 2019.

"I'm happy to be playing at Leipzig. Not only because this is my former residence, but also because we have a short trip and can use a bus. Not having a long trip is a distinct advantage," he said.

As an optimal birthday present, Rangnick certainly hopes Austria can advance to the quarter-finals for the first time. Today, as revealed by Andreas Weimann, the team players will give him a "cake and beautiful song". Hopefully the best will follow