Austria’s under-17 national team is living a historic moment after defeating Italy 2-0 to reach the World Cup final in Qatar, where they will face Portugal. The celebrations were emotional and intense: players raising their arms toward the sky, families cheering from the stands, and a sense of national pride filling the stadium.
Head coach Hermann Stadler praised the team’s performance and highlighted the important work done in Austria’s youth academies, calling the achievement the result of years of dedication. Austria now becomes the first ÖFB team ever to reach a final at a U17 World Cup.
The standout once again was Johannes Moser, who continues to deliver a sensational tournament. The 17-year-old opened the scoring after initiating the play himself before finishing a perfect assist from Werner. Deep into stoppage time, he scored a stunning free kick to secure the 2-0 victory, becoming the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals.
Captain Jakob Pokorny provided remarkable defensive stability, while goalkeeper Daniel Posch delivered another clean sheet, all witnessed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and coaching legend Arsène Wenger.
Austria will return to the pitch on Thursday at the Khalifa International Stadium, boosted by their remarkable second-half performances —16 of their 17 goals have been scored after the break. The ÖFB has called this achievement one of the greatest moments in Austrian football history. With momentum on their side, the team now dreams of lifting the U17 World Cup trophy for the first time, a triumph that would mark a historic milestone for the country.
