Veteran Marko Arnautovic to lead Austria attack at World Cup, Paul Wanner, Carney Chukwuemeka called up

Veteran striker Marko Arnautovic headlines Austria's 26-man World Cup squad named by head coach Ralf Rangnick on Monday, with the country's record appearance maker set to lead the line in North America.

The selection locks in the 37-year-old forward, anchoring an experienced core alongside captain David Alaba and midfielder Marcel Sabitzer as Austria return to the world stage after a 28-year absence.

Beyond the veteran leadership, Rangnick’s squad selection is defined by a bold infusion of youth, highlighted by the inclusion of newly naturalised talents Paul Wanner and Carney Chukwuemeka.

The dual-national midfielders, who play for PSV Eindhoven and Borussia Dortmund respectively, committed their international futures to Austria this year and have been fast-tracked into the squad.

While the midfield boasts depth, Rangnick faced a severe selection headache in central defence, resulting in heartbreak for several tournament regulars.

Long-term injury layoffs proved costly for Feyenoord's Gernot Trauner and Werder Bremen's Maximilian Wober. Despite both returning to club action in April, the manager deemed them short of peak match fitness.

"Ultimately, we decided based on what we already knew and what's needed for a tournament like this, which lasts a long time. We want to go as far as possible at the World Cup," Rangnick said on Monday.

"We tried to invite the best players, but also those who are the right fit for our style of play."

Austria are in Group J and will start the tournament against Jordan before facing Argentina and Algeria.

Austria squad

Goalkeepers: Patrick Pentz (Brondby IF), Alexander Schlager (FC Red Bull Salzburg), Florian Wiegele (Viktoria Pilsen)

Defenders: David Affengruber (Elche CF), David Alaba (Real Madrid), Kevin Danso (Tottenham Hotspur), Marco Friedl (SV Werder Bremen), Philipp Lienhart (SC Freiburg), Phillipp Mwene (FSV Mainz 05), Stefan Posch (FSV Mainz 05), Alexander Prass (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Michael Svoboda (Venezia FC)

Midfielders: Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig), Carney Chukwuemeka (Borussia Dortmund), Florian Grillitsch (SC Braga), Konrad Laimer (FC Bayern Munich), Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund), Xaver Schlager (RB Leipzig), Romano Schmid (SV Werder Bremen), Alessandro Schopf (RZ Pellets WAC), Nicolas Seiwald (RB Leipzig), Paul Wanner (PSV Eindhoven), Patrick Wimmer (VfL Wolfsburg)

Forwards: Marko Arnautovic (FK Crvena Zvezda), Michael Gregoritsch (FC Augsburg), Sasa Kalajdzic (LASK)

(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk, editing by Ed Osmond)