Article by Aurelian Botezatu – Published Tuesday, 02 June 2026, 15:25 / Updated Tuesday, 02 June 2026 15:26
The star of the Austrian national team, Christoph Baumgartner, was injured during the warm-up for the friendly against Tunisia.
Coach Ralf Rangnick will have to make do in the final tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada (June 11-July 19) without his most fit player. Christoph Baumgartner suffered a muscle injury right before the friendly with Tunisia (1-0).
Christoph Baumgartner cannot be recovered to participate in the final tour in the USA, Mexico and Canada
He felt a twinge in his right thigh while sending a shot towards the goal, and Rangnick immediately removed him from the team and handed him over to the doctors. During Tuesday, the results of the investigations also arrived, which indicate a significant muscle injury, which will not be able to be resolved in time, so that Baumgartner can perform at the 2026 World Cup.
The RB Leipzig player was in a good mood, scoring 17 goals and providing eight assists in the Bundesliga in the 2025 – 2026 season. Physically, he had not suffered a muscle injury since 2021 and had only missed two games in the last two years, but due to a head injury.
Ralf Rangnick: “It's very bitter news for Christoph and for us as a team”
“Stay strong Baumi,” his club RB Leipzig wrote to him just minutes after the news broke that he would miss the final tournament. “This is undoubtedly very bitter news for Christoph and for us as a team. He is a very important player and a key figure in the team“, said the coach of the Austrian national team, Ralph Rangnick, deeply affected by the news: “Now all our efforts are focused on giving him all our support so that he recovers well.”
Austria returned to the World Cup after a 28-year absence and will be in a group with reigning world champions Argentina, Jordan and Algeria.
