World Soccer - UK (2019-12)

Austria

O HOW THEY QUALIFIED Second

behind Group G winners Poland. They

lost their opening two games of the

campaign, to Poland and Israel, but

recovered to qualify for only their third

Euro finals. Previously they co-hosted

Euro 2008, while four years ago in

France, they finished bottom of their

group, with a solitary point from a

goalless draw with Portugal.

O THE COACH Former Sturm Graz boss

Franco Foda took charge in January

2018, the first German to coach Austria’s

national side. He replaced Swiss Marcel

Koller, who had edged him out of the

previous selection process in 2011.

O KEY PLAYERS Julian Baumgartlinger

of Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern

Munich’s highly versatile David Alaba

are the key midfielders. The enigmatic

Marko Arnautovic, now playing in China,

remains a key figure and was top scorer

with six goals in the qualifiers.

O PLAYER TO WATCH Borussia

Monchengladbach right-back Stefan

Lainer, who moved from Red Bull

Salzburg to the Bundesliga in the

off-season, exemplifies the Austrians’

new-found competitive intensity and

toughness. Dynamic and enterprising

going forward, an aggressive presser

of the ball and the most resolute of

defensive sentries, he was the man

of the match in Austria’s 2-1 win over

Macedonia, crossing for David Alaba

to open the scoring, then tapping in

his side’s second goal.

Belgium

O HOW THEY QUALIFIED With 10 wins

from 10, and as the top scorers with 40

goals, they were the most in-form team

of the qualifying campaign. New figures

• Youri Tielemans, Thorgan Hazard –
  emerged to energise the squad but
  concerns remain over an ageing and
  injury-prone defence.

O THE COACH Roberto Martinez took

Belgium to the 2018 World Cup

semi-finals after taking charge in 2016,

earning a contract extension until 2020.

O KEY PLAYERS Kevin De Bruyne

outshone Eden Hazard in the qualifiers,

while striker Romelu Lukaku put a

troubled club situation behind him

to finish as top scorer.

O PLAYER TO WATCH Although barely

18, Anderlecht attacking midfield prodigy

Yari Verschaeren is already being

mentioned as a possible heir to Eden

Hazard. The teenager is blessed with

incredible vision, exquisite two-footed

technique, great balance and a rare

ability to leave defenders for dead.^

Made his debut in September as a late

substitute in a 4-0 victory in Scotland.

A month later, he scored his first

international goal, against San Marino.

Croatia

O HOW THEY QUALIFIED An uncertain

campaign for the 2018 World Cup

runners-up after being hit by injuries

and a World Cup hangover. They lost in

Hungary, failed to win in Azerbaijan and

were held to a draw by Wales in October,

but still managed to top the group.

O THE COACH Zlatko Dalic earned a

new contract, running until next summer,

after taking Croatia on their unexpected

run to the 2018 World Cup Final.

O KEY PLAYERS Marcelo Brozovic has

filled in impressively for the injured Ivan

Rakitic and Mateo Kovacic, while Luka

Modric remains imperious.

O PLAYER TO WATCH Several pundits

believed Croatia would struggle following

the international retirement of Mario

Mandzukic. But after Marko Livaja and

Ivan Santini dropped the succession

baton, Dinamo Zagreb centre-forward

Bruno Petkovic was handed his first

cap against Azerbaijan in March and

has not looked back since, netting four

goals in qualification.

The Teams

SPECIAL

FEATURE

Replacement...

Bruno Petkovic

Shining...

Kevin De

Bruyne

Enterprising...full-back Stefan Lainer