The coach who was ridiculed at Manchester United, but revered in Austria for rejecting Bayern Munich, built a team that was united and constantly pressed against opponents.
The Grunewald Forest in the west of Berlin is one of the most tranquil parts of the German capital. In the 3,000 hectares of woodland, you'll find dog walkers for morning walks and joggers who make the most of the fresh air.
Last weekend, rowers and paddleboarders on Lake Schlacht in the forest welcomed some special guests – the Austrian football team.
Surprised onlookers saw Baumgartner and Gregoritsch, who were part of the team that beat Poland a few days earlier, nodding and passing the ball in circles with five other teammates. The player who touched the ball by mistake caused the ball to fall into the water and became the object of jokes among his friends.
For those passers-by who are not familiar with the Austrian players, they look like a group of friends who are having fun. When you strip away the millions of contracts they've earned, essentially they are.
During Ralph Rangnick's two years in charge, he has brought the players closer than ever before, according to those who follow the national team closely.
Their unity is their greatest strength. Their closest player to a superstar was Real Madrid defender David Alaba but was unable to play in this tournament due to a torn cruciate ligament.
Alaba, 32, sacrificed his summer to play alongside the team and rehab alongside the team, a testament to the deep friendship and solidarity between the team. And why they beat Poland 3-1 on Friday after losing 1-0 in their first group game to pre-match favourites, France.
Arnautovic scored Austria's third goal against Poland
Their 3-2 win over the Netherlands in the final group game at the Olympic Stadium, combined with a 1-1 draw between France and Poland, ensured Austria progressed to the knockout stages for the second time in their history as group winners.
Under Rangnick, Austria showed some of their best football against Poland. They play at a high rate, passing the ball quickly from the front to the back and harassing opponents when they lose possession.
Their 65-year-old German coach made two crucial substitutions – Patrick Vermer and Alexander Plath played key roles in the victory – and his decision to put Arnautovic in the starting line-up paid off as the Inter Milan man scored the decisive third goal.
The Austrian team's camp wasn't always a happy place. Under the old management, roll calls were made to ensure that the players went to bed at the allotted time, which was unpopular in some ways.
Under Rangnick's leadership, the atmosphere in the team has become more relaxed. At the 5-star Schlosshotel in Berlin, there is no curfew. Players are free to walk into the city and grab a cup of coffee. "They were given the freedom of adults," a staff member said.
Alaba, who usually captains the team, said of Rangnick: "He's a very pleasant guy and you can ask him about anything – not just about football, but also on personal matters. ”
Rangnick had hoped his team would be based at the Weimarland Spa Golf Resort in Blankenhein, but were snatched up by England with a higher bid.
In the players' bedrooms, pictures of Austria's recent successes are placed on the walls as a motivating tool. Rangnick's approach to relaxation became clear from the first party, when he took the team to a traditional Austrian pub where they played darts.
'If you want a beer, drink it,' he told the players. "For those who can handle it, you can drink two glasses."
The Austrians were initially skeptical of Rangnick's claim that he could get the national team to play the kind of high-energy pressing games he pioneered during his time in the Red Bull sports empire, but he did.
Even at the age of 35, Arnautovic is still aggressively pressing on opposing defenders. A recent article from German sports magazine 11 Freunde about Rangnick's resurgence after Manchester United's nightmarish experience was titled 'A Storm of Love'. According to the report, "Ralph Rangnick and Austria are very much in love with each other".
Rangnick has moved to a house near Salzburg and has learned to use Austrian slang like "Leiwand" (cool), and uses them a lot.
Rangnick is enjoying the late boom of his career after a traumatic six-month experience as interim manager of Manchester United following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November 2021. His attempts at change at Old Trafford have met with resistance, and visa issues have prevented some of his now behind-the-scenes team members in Germany from joining him in Manchester.
Manchester United finished sixth that season. Rangnick's Manchester United record is: 29 games, 11 wins, 9 draws and 9 losses.
Rangnick has made it clear that United will need a "radical overhaul" if they want to compete for the Premier League title again, and he has revealed that he has recommended several players to the board, but these suggestions have not been heeded.
One of them is Julian Alvarez, who became a regular at Manchester City after joining from River Plate for £14 million.
The Austrian team showed an atmosphere of unity, thanks to Rangnick's relaxed management
Rangnick has been silent about his experience since he left United. But it is understood that he was particularly frustrated at the end of his tenure due to the poor performance of some players. He had planned to continue as an advisor to the club after a year as manager, but this was abandoned and Rangnick was able to devote himself to the Austrian team.
Bayern Munich have made an offer to Rangnick for a high-paying position this summer in the hope that he will become the team's manager, and they don't mind him continuing to play for Austria during Euro 2024. However, Rangnick rejected the offer because he thought it would be a betrayal for the Austrian team to accept the job. He believes that while discussing the organization of the new season with the staff of Bayern Munich, it is not possible to wholeheartedly help the national team to achieve good results in the knockout stage.
Regardless of when Austria's campaign for the Euros, Rangnick's attention will turn to the next World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as qualifying for the tournament automatically extends his contract with Austria until the end of the tournament in 2026.
Perhaps in two years' time, we will see Rangnick supervising the training of Austrian players at Central Park.