UEFA European Championships 2016 Preview: Austria

Austria will rely on Bayern Munich defender David Alaba in the 2016 UEFA European Championships in France. Getty

Austria will rely on Bayern Munich defender David Alaba in the 2016 UEFA European Championships in France. (Getty)

A poor European history did not stop the unblemished Austria from qualifying for their second European Championship next summer in France. Austria won Group G with 28 points, finishing 9-1-0 in their ten matches and scored 22 goals while allowing only five. Marc Jenko led the team with seven goals in qualification, but David Alaba, Marko Arnautovic, and Martin Harnik all scored three goals or more for the Austrians in qualfication as they ran through to the 24-team field.

Ivica Vastic has scored the only goal in the European Championship for Austria, against Poland, as the Austrians have only made the European Championship once, as hosts, losing in the Group Stage in 2008. They last made a major tournament in 1998 when they finished third in their group in the World Cup, also held in France.