Vienna witnessed a historic night of football as Austria demolished San Marino 10-0 in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier. The match, held on October 9, 2025, at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion, saw veteran striker Marko Arnautovic write his name into the Austrian record books by becoming the nation's all-time leading scorer with 45 goals.
Austria dominated the match from start to finish, with Romano Schmid opening the scoring in the 7th minute. Just a minute later, Arnautovic added his first of the night, setting the stage for a memorable individual performance. Stefan Posch then contributed an assist to Michael Gregoritsch, followed by scoring twice himself within a 12-minute span, pushing Austria to a 5-0 lead before the half-hour mark. Konrad Laimer further solidified Austria's dominance with a sixth goal just before halftime.
The second half saw no change in momentum, as Arnautovic continued his scoring spree, netting Austria's seventh goal in the 47th minute. He then completed his hat-trick and added another goal shortly after, with two goals separated by a mere 81 seconds. Substitute Nikolaus Wurmbrand also joined the scoresheet, contributing to the lopsided victory. Arnautovic's four-goal haul not only secured a resounding win for Austria but also propelled him past Toni Polster's previous record of 44 international goals.
The victory was a display of exceptional teamwork, with every Austrian outfield player who started the match contributing with either a goal or an assist. Austria maintained 71% of the possession, unleashed 25 shots, and largely confined San Marino to their own half. In contrast, San Marino struggled to create opportunities, finishing the match with an expected goals (xG) tally of just 0.46.
This emphatic win propelled Austria to the top of Group H in the World Cup qualifying campaign. With a perfect record after five matches, Austria is now in a strong position to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
While San Marino has faced heavy defeats in the past, this 10-0 loss marked their worst in this qualifying campaign. Despite the scoreline, San Marino demonstrated resilience, a quality that has seen them manage some improvements in recent times. However, the quality gap was evident, as Austria's clinical finishing and confident play proved too much for theSammarinese.
Ralf Rangnick, the former Manchester United manager, has instilled a sense of discipline and purpose in the Austrian squad. The blend of experienced players like Arnautovic and the dynamism of younger talents has transformed Austria into a formidable team.
The match was officiated by Israeli referee Yigal Frid, with assistant referees Rostislav Talis and Tuval Koltunoff. David Fuxman served as the fourth official, while Daniel Bar Natan was the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), assisted by Eli Hacmon.
With this historic win, Austria looks set to continue their march towards the 2026 World Cup, while Marko Arnautovic celebrates a record-breaking achievement that cements his legacy as an Austrian football icon.
