Austria national football team manager Ralf Rangnick has rejected speculation that his squad would intentionally lose their final Group J match against Algeria on June 28, 2026, to avoid facing Spain in the World Cup knockout stage.
The second-place finisher in Group J is scheduled to play Spain in the round of 16, while the third-place team might secure a statistically easier opponent.
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Austria currently sits in second place with three points, leading Algeria on goal difference. Argentina tops the group, and Jordan is eliminated.
When questioned about potentially losing on purpose to alter their tournament pathway, Rangnick replied, "No, por supuesto que no.
Siguiente pregunta."
The manager compared the speculation to the infamous 1982 World Cup "Disgrace of Gijon" match, noting the vast time difference.
"Cuando se jugó ese partido, ninguno de mis jugadores había nacido y yo tenía veinticuatro años," he stated.
He emphasized that historical controversies have no bearing on the contemporary tournament dynamics.
"Ha pasado mucho tiempo y no tiene nada que ver con el partido de mañana," he added.
Rangnick further dismissed tactical calculations regarding future opponents, saying, "No me importa."
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Austrian midfielder Konrad Laimer reinforced his coach's position, stating that the team remains entirely focused on securing a victory without calculating future brackets.
"No me importa. Salimos a ganar.
Queremos pasar la fase de grupos y, a partir de ahí, ya veremos si toca España u otro," Laimer said.
The Bayern Munich player reiterated that the team needs to focus on its own performance on the pitch rather than choosing opponents.
"Tras el partido veremos a qué selección nos enfrentaremos, pero queremos centrarnos en nosotros.
Queremos ganar, pasar la fase de grupos y, a partir de ahí, no me importa el rival," he added.
In early match action, Marko Arnautovic scored the opening goal for Austria over Algeria with a fortunate strike.
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Experts from a VietNamNet report predicted a close contest, with three out of four analysts anticipating a draw before kickoff.
