Austria
Austria return for their first tournament since 1998 — a 28-year wait, ended by a vibrant Ralf Rangnick generation. The German coach, who took over in 2022 and rejected multiple major club offers to stay, has installed his classic high-pressing 4-2-2-2. Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund), Konrad Laimer (Bayern), Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig) and Marko Arnautović form the spine; David Alaba (Real Madrid) returns from injury to lead the back if fit. The Euro 2024 round-of-16 exit to Türkiye stung but the performances were elite. Group J with Argentina, Algeria and Jordan is winnable for second; Austria's Rangnick-era pressing identity gives them genuine upset potential. The quarter-final — never reached in their history — is the dream.