Ralf Rangnick urges bets on Austria against Argentina

Austria will meet Argentina on Monday at the World Cup in North America after opening the tournament with a 3‑1 victory over Jordan. Coach Ralf Rangnick insists his side will not accept the South Americans as favourites and expects a competitive showdown. The 3‑1 win over Jordan gave Austria a strong start and confidence ahead of the Argentine encounter. Argentina are widely regarded as the tournament favourites. “Wie veel geld wil verdienen, moet op Oostenrijk inzetten”, said Rangnick, challenging expectations. He continued, “Iedereen, en dus ook de bookmakers en algoritmes, gaat er blijkbaar zomaar vanuit dat wij deze match gaan verliezen. Maar daar ga ik niet mee akkoord.”

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“Voetbal blijft een teamsport. En wij zijn van plan om met de nodige energie en moed te spelen, gekoppeld aan onze speelstijl en inzet”, Rangnick explained. “Hoe we Messi kunnen stoppen? Door te tonen dat we één van de beste teams op dit WK zijn. Al is Messi natuurlijk de beste speler die ze in Argentinië ooit gezien hebben”, he added. Argentina field star Lionel Messi alongside Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez and Enzo Fernandez, providing multiple options to decide the match. Their collective quality reinforces their status as favourites. Rangnick aims to instill belief in the collective, noting Austria’s impressive first‑match display. A positive result against Argentina would propel the team toward the next round and label Austria as a dangerous outsider. The Austrian side plans to play with energy and courage, matching their style and commitment. Monday’s outcome will determine whether they can progress to the knockout phase.