by Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Empty streets, televisions glowing in living rooms across the country, and raw celebration painted Austria in unfamiliar colors Tuesday night, as the winter-sport nation rediscovered itself through football.
Vienna's national stadium turned into a roaring festival after Austria qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 28 years. The crowd released years of frustration and hope in tears, shouts and stunned disbelief.
Red Star forward Marko Arnautovic joked that November 18 should become a national holiday. Brondby striker Michael Gregoritsch, who buried the decisive equalizer in the 1-1 draw against Bosnia, looked almost overwhelmed.
"When did we see something like that, when was football ever celebrated like that?" he said on the pitch. Later, he called the atmosphere "something we haven't seen in decades."
The goal clinched Austria's ticket to the 2026 tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Head coach Ralf Rangnick, 67, who previously coached Manchester United, Schalke, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, struggled to find words.
"No matter where you go, people enthusiastically identify with the team," he said. "I have been through a lot in my career, but this is a new level."
Players described the night as the best moment of their football lives. Rangnick added a personal touch before the match, handing each player and staff member a small golden World Cup keychain stamped with the Austrian flag and their own fingerprint.
Collecting fingerprints wasn't easy. "I had to assure them it wasn't for the offender registry," he quipped.
His own keychain stayed in his pocket during the match. "Apparently it worked," he said with a grin.
Rangnick is widely respected in Austria after turning down Bayern Munich earlier this year to continue the national project he began in 2022. His overhaul pushed improvements through the senior squad and down into talent development.
The coach said he felt especially proud for veterans like Arnautovic and Real Madrid defender David Alaba.
"It's their last chance to be part of a World Cup," he said, after briefly joining the wild locker room celebration before stepping away to analyze the match.
Austria's newspapers captured the mood Wednesday morning. "World Cup, we are coming," one headline read. Another thanked the match-winner in bold letters.
"Thank you, Gregerl." ■
