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Top 10 Goalscorers in the History of the Austrian National Football Team

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Marko Arnautovic as a Red Star Belgrade player

The Austrian national football team played its first international match back in 1902. Over more than a century of history, they have reached the World Cup semifinals twice. Becoming the all-time top scorer of a national team with such a rich tradition is a remarkable achievement — and that honor belongs to a player of Serbian origin, Marko Arnautović. Below, we bring you the top 10 goalscorers in the history of the Austrian national team:

10. KARL ZISCHEK – 24 GOALS

Austria’s first major success came at the 1934 World Cup in Italy, where they finished fourth. One of the key members of that team was forward Karl Zischek. His only goal at the tournament came in the quarterfinals, in a 2–1 win over Hungary. He played for the national team from 1931 to 1945 and scored a total of 24 goals — a number that surely would have been higher if World War II had not broken out.

9. ANDI HERZOG – 26 GOALS

An attacking midfielder who played for Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen, and Rapid Vienna. He made 103 appearances for the national team and scored 26 goals. Herzog represented Austria at two World Cups — in 1990 and 1998.

8. MATTHIAS SINDELAR – 26 GOALS

Sindelar is still considered one of the greatest Austrian footballers of all time. For Austria Vienna, he played an incredible 385 matches and scored 228 goals. He represented the national team from 1926 to 1937, recording 43 caps and 26 goals. He was part of the team that finished fourth at the 1934 World Cup.

7. ANTON SCHALL – 27 GOALS

Another member of the famous 1934 squad was Anton Schall. A versatile forward, he played 28 matches for Austria between 1927 and 1934. His record is impressive — 27 goals, almost one per game. Like Sindelar, Schall was loyal to a single club: Admira Vienna, for which he played 353 matches and scored 304 goals.

6. MARC JANKO – 28 GOALS

The leading striker of the Austrian national team in the first two decades of the 21st century. Marc Janko represented Austria from 2006 to 2019. His only major tournament was Euro 2016. He earned 70 caps and scored 28 goals. His final international goal came at Red Star Stadium in October 2016, when Serbia defeated Austria 3–2 in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

5. ERICH HOF – 28 GOALS

Erich Hof, known as “The Professor of Football,” led Austria’s attack in the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s. Although he never qualified for a major tournament with Austria, he left a significant mark on the national team. In 37 appearances, he scored 28 goals. Hof later served as Austria’s head coach from 1982 to 1984.

4. JOHANN HORVATH – 29 GOALS

One of the pioneers of Austrian football, Johann Horvath, was also part of the team that competed at the 1934 World Cup. He played for the national team from 1924 to 1934, scoring 29 goals in 46 matches — including two strikes at the tournament in Italy.

3. HANS KRANKL – 34 GOALS

One of Austria’s all-time greats, Hans Krankl, led the national team from 1973 to 1985 and helped them reach two World Cups — in 1978 and 1982. He made 69 appearances and scored 34 goals. At the 1978 World Cup, he netted four goals, and he added another one at the 1982 tournament in Spain.

2. TONI POLSTER – 44 GOALS

Nicknamed “Toni Doppelpack” for his habit of scoring twice in a match, Toni Polster played for the Austrian national team for an incredible 18 years. From 1982 to 2000, he scored 44 goals in 95 matches. He appeared at two World Cups — Italy 1990 and France 1998 — and scored in the 1–1 draw against Cameroon at France ’98, which was also his final international goal.

1. MARKO ARNAUTOVIC – 47 GOALS

Polster’s long-standing record was finally broken on October 10, 2025 — after 27 years — by Marko Arnautovic. The star striker of Serbian heritage made his debut for Austria’s senior team on October 11, 2008. So far, he has played 129 matches and scored 47 goals, making him the all-time top scorer of the Austrian national team. Arnautović represented Austria at three European Championships — 2016, 2020, and 2024 — and will, for the first time, have the chance to play at a World Cup in 2026, for which Austria has qualified.

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