Just over a week before the start of the 2026 World Cup, the Austrian National Team received one of the worst possible news. Christoph Baumgartner, one of the most important pieces of Ralf Rangnick's team, has been ruled out for the World Cup after suffering a muscle injury in his right thigh during warm-up before the friendly against Tunisia.
The confirmation came this Tuesday after the player underwent medical tests. The MRI revealed a more serious injury than expected, prompting the coaching staff to remove him from the World Cup roster. Until the last hours, there was hope that he could miss only the debut and rejoin later, but that possibility has been ruled out.
The Austrian Federation officially announced the news through a statement on its social media. "Christoph Baumgartner will miss the national team in the World Cup. This is confirmed after today's MRI. The 26-year-old suffered an injury to the muscles of his right thigh", reported the organization, which also sent a message of support to the 26-year-old player.
The absence represents a significant blow for Austria. Baumgartner arrived at the tournament experiencing one of the best moments of his career: in the last season with Red Bull Leipzig, he accumulated 17 goals and 9 assists in 37 matches, establishing himself as an offensive reference both at his club and in the national team.
