World Cup 2026: Rangnick addresses Algeria-Austria draw rumors

Austria's national football team coach, Ralf Rangnick, has firmly refuted suggestions that the team's dramatic 3-3 draw against Algeria in the World Cup was fixed. The result secured progression for both teams into the 'Round of 32,' but the thrilling encounter sparked speculation about potential match-fixing.

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In this match, when the score is 3-3, no one can assume that there was any agreement, especially with what we saw in the last 90 seconds. Three minutes before the end, if someone said that this would happen, you would tell them they are crazy. I have been a coach for about 40 years and I don't remember another game that had such a dramatic development and such an unexpected turn.

Rangnick, speaking after the match, stated that no one could assume an agreement was in place when the score reached 3-3, especially given the events of the final 90 seconds. He described the game's progression as incredibly dramatic and unexpected, noting that most anticipated a low-scoring affair, not the six-goal thriller that unfolded.

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Most expected a 0-0 or a 1-1, and in the end it became 3-3. It's unbelievable. In the locker room, there was pandemonium. If Alfred Hitchcock had written such a drama, I would probably say he had lost his mind. Everyone who watched the game in the last 15 minutes knows that there was not the slightest indication that the players absolutely wanted it to end in a draw. I think they wanted to win.

"I am a coach for about 40 years and I don't remember another game that had such a dramatic development and such an unexpected turn," Rangnick commented. He asserted that anyone watching the final 15 minutes would see no indication that players were content with a draw; instead, he believes they were striving for victory.

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Nobody can tell me that suddenly, in the 93rd minute, someone thought: 'Oh yes, let's score another goal.' Maybe that was the thought of one or two Algerian players, but I believe that for the rest of the team... it wasn't like that. At least not for me.

Rangnick specifically addressed the final moments, suggesting that while one or two Algerian players might have considered scoring another goal in the 93rd minute, it was not the sentiment of the entire team. He concluded by stating that he had never experienced anything quite like it in his extensive coaching career, highlighting the unbelievable nature of seizing the opportunity to get back into the game from a losing position.

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I don’t think I have ever experienced anything like this in a football match. Normally, at 2-3, the game is over and you are done. The fact that we actually seized the opportunity and managed to get back into the game is unbelievable.