ÖFB women fail bitterly: EM dream 2025 burst!

ÖFB women fail bitterly: EM dream 2025 burst!

Austria's women's football has suffered a bitter setback: The national team failed in the European Championship playoffs to Poland with a total score of 0: 2 and thus missed participation in the 2025 European Championship in Switzerland. After a disappointing 0-1 loss in the first leg, which massively restricted their chances, there is great disappointment in the ÖFB camp. Wing player Lilli Purtscheller admitted after leaving: "We have to question ourselves in any areas."

The future of team boss Irene Fuhrmann

With the missed the third European Championship participation in a row, team boss Irene Fuhrmann is in the crossfire of criticism. It remains unclear whether she will give up her position, as she excluded a resignation after the defeat. "I will not make a decision in the first emotion," she said. The focus must now be on the success of the team, not just in her person. Goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger emphasized that the responsibility is not solely with the trainer: "The Irene cannot score the gates or do not stop at the back, so it depends on us." Despite the defeat, the team demonstrates support for Fuhrmann, but also called for a critical reflection of their own performance.

The setback is particularly painful because the women's team has successfully qualified for European championships in recent years. Fuhrmann was concerned about the increasing expectations and the still challenging situation in women's football. "It is not a matter of course to qualify for a final round with 16 teams," she noted and questioned whether this was also when it was fans, since only 2,600 spectators are expected for the decisive second leg. Now it remains to be seen how the ÖFB deals with this situation and whether Fuhrmann can continue their task while the team is preparing for the upcoming challenges, such as laola1.at reported. The situation illustrates how dynamic and challenging women's football is, especially in times of increasing demands.