Thanks to "Gregerl" to the World Cup

Belly shown: ÖFB hero explains special jubilation

Michael Gregoritsch showed off his belly after scoring the most important goal of his career.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Pail Sepp, Screenshot ServusTV)

Thanks to Michael Gregoritsch, we're going to the World Cup! After scoring the most important goal of his career, "Gregerl" grabbed his stomach and showed off a fold of skin. The 31-year-old had obviously heard something from his ÖFB colleagues recently. 

"Sometimes it's not always important how high your fat is," Gregoritsch emphasized with a grin after scoring Austria to a 1:1 draw against Bosnia on Tuesday evening and thus to a World Cup for the first time in 28 years.

Michael Gregoritsch showed off his belly after scoring the most important goal of his career.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Pail Sepp, Screenshot ServusTV)

The Styrian had been running behind his form recently. Following his summer transfer, he is now only a part-time player at Brøndby. However, the son of former U21 team boss Werner Gregoritsch once again proved his value to the national team.

Important info: Krone.tv will be showing the Danish clash between Copenhagen and Brøndby live on Sunday (12 noon)!

The striker, still the youngest goalscorer in domestic Bundesliga history at the age of 15 and 361 days, now has 23 international goals to his name - many of them in important matches such as against North Macedonia at Euro 2021 (3:1) or in the Euro 2024 round of 16 against Turkey (1:2). But the goal in the 1:1 World Cup qualifying showdown against Bosnia beats everything. "This is the best day of my life as a footballer. It will always stay with me," said Gregoritsch. 

Not the "most spectacular player"
 "My career has always been like this, like this, like this," Gregoritsch gestured with his hand in a wave motion. "And I was never completely gone." That should not be taken as an announcement. "But I've always believed in myself throughout my career. I'm not the most spectacular player, I'm one of the slowest players. But still, I've been around forever somehow. And I've seen a lot of people come and go. And many who have traveled this path with me. And that's so, so nice."

I'm not the most spectacular player, I'm one of the slowest players. But I've still been around forever somehow.

Michael Gregoritsch

Gregoritsch made his debut for the ÖFB team after Euro 2016. He is really looking forward to his first World Cup. "It's the greatest thing you can ever experience as a footballer," said the long-time Germany legionnaire. Austria was last represented at the world tournament in France in 1998. "98 percent of us didn't experience it because we were too young to watch it. Or we weren't in the world," said Gregoritsch about himself and his team-mates. "Now we've done it. Hopefully it won't take as long next time." 

Michael Gregoritsch was celebrated by his team-mates.(Bild: AP/Heinz-Peter Bader)

Praise from Rangnick and colleagues
The current generation has qualified for three of the last four major events, Gregoritsch recalled. He has played a decisive part in this. "It's a special case when you consider how many important goals he has scored for us, even though he doesn't play much for his club," said team boss Ralf Rangnick. "It also shows how important it is to place your trust in a player like that. I'm incredibly happy for him."

Ralf Rangnick also gave the ÖFB hero a big hug after the final whistle.(Bild: GEPA)

His colleagues also congratulated the attacker. "He's always there, he always gives everything," said Bayern Munich ace Konrad Laimer about Gregoritsch. "I'm always happy when there are people who invest so much, who put so much heart, passion and everything possible into it, that they are then rewarded with something like this." Gregoritsch's goal in the 77th minute triggered true ecstasy on the ÖFB bench. "These emotions are the best thing you can have. That's why I've always loved this sport of soccer so much," explained the golden goalscorer.

He also wants to get the media on board for the upcoming World Cup. "When we're all on the plane to America next year, we'll have at least three World Cup games," said Gregoritsch to the journalists present. "That's a thousand times more fun than us sitting here in some shitty garden and hiding from people because we didn't make it."