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Report nowMarcel Koller is the new coach of FC Zurich. From 2011 to 2017, the Zurich native coached the Austrian national team. In an interview with blue Sport, he explains what he thinks Austria is capable of at this year’s World Cup.
Marcel Koller was the coach of the Austrian national team for six years. The Swiss coach pulled off a major coup by qualifying for the 2016 European Championship—it was Austria’s first major tournament since the 1998 World Cup.
After stints with FC Basel (2018–2020) and Al Ahly in Cairo (2022–2025), Marcel Koller has now landed at FC Zurich. While the World Cup is taking place on the biggest soccer stage in North America, Koller has begun preseason training with FCZ. When asked about the major event, the 65-year-old explains that he is delighted about Austria’s first World Cup appearance in 28 years. He also immediately addresses the euphoria that prevails there: “In Austria, everyone already feels like they’re going to be world champions again. It always happens very quickly.”
Koller thinks it’s “fantastic” that Austria is even participating, and that one or two players he coached back when he was national team coach are also at the World Cup. Koller also notes that the team has done an outstanding job in recent years.
Now the Zurich native hopes that Austria gets off to a good start in the tournament. Our eastern neighbors kick off their campaign on Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. with a match against Jordan. Their other opponents in the group are defending champions Argentina and Algeria.
Koller doesn’t think the Austrians have what it takes to win the World Cup title, but he still hopes they’ll achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves: “That’s definitely to advance to the next round, and then maybe one more. And then take it one game at a time…”
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