"Krone" Soccer Player of the Year Award

Ralf Rangnick is tipp3 Coach of the Year

Ralf Rangnick is tipp3 Coach of the Year.(Bild: GEPA)

As tipp3 Coach of the Year in the “Krone” Soccer Awards, Ralf Rangnick “doesn’t completely rule out” winning the World Cup. He estimates his contribution to Austria’s success at just 50 percent; his empathy for the players is the key to success …

“Usually it’s the Viennese coaches who get the votes,” Ralf Rangnick said with surprise when “Krone” informed him of his honor as “tipp3 Coach of the Year” in our soccer poll. “But if it really has to do with likability, I’m all the more pleased.” Above all, the fact that thousands of fans in 2026—in the age of the internet—still cut out and mailed in their ballots makes him beam: “I’d do the same. I’m still mega old school when it comes to newspapers; I always buy six or seven copies back home in Obertrum,” Rangnick explains. “I still need to have something in my hand while I read.”

Ralf Rangnick(Bild: GEPA)

On Tuesday, Austria’s “favorite German” will receive his trophy before the friendly against South Korea at Happel Stadium. It will take a place of honor—next to his “Special Award” for his performance at EURO 2024. “This is an award for the entire coaching staff and the team. My contribution to what we’ve achieved is only 50 percent.”

“Humanity is the ticket to leadership”
That’s typical of Rangnick. Of course, everything at the ÖFB (in the sporting realm) dances to his tune, but he always puts the sense of community first: “Humanity is the ticket to success for any leader. The key is empathy. Without a good rapport with the players and the staff, you’ll never be able to get the most out of the team,” Rangnick emphasized in his “winner’s interview” with the “Krone.”

He hopes this won’t be the last: “I’d be delighted if there were another award like this in a year or three. That would mean we played a good World Cup and qualified for the EURO again.” He adds with a laugh: “Provided I’m still head coach by then.” That says it all regarding a contract extension with the ÖFB

tipp3 Coach of the Year

1. Ralf Rangnick (Head Coach): 98,500  
2. Christian Schaider (Austria Salzburg): 68,878  
3. Didi Kühbauer (LASK/Wolfsberg): 53,671  
4. Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace): 38,554  
5. Stephan Helm (Austria Vienna): 31,003  
6. Manfred Schmid (Hartberg): 29,332  
7. Hermann Stadler (U17 Head Coach): 26,164  
8. Stefan Kenesei (Austria Vienna Women): 19,452  
9. Fabio Ingolitsch (Altach): 15,117
10. Maximilian Uhlig (Young Violets): 11,202

The EURO can help
Rangnick, who as a teenager, incidentally, idolized Johan Cruyff (“He was the first modern number 10”) and therefore wore the number 14, thinks big. As always. He even takes krone.tv’s tongue-in-cheek question about Austria’s chances of winning the title in the U.S. seriously—albeit with a smile: “The World Cup trophy would be on another level. It’s not very likely that we’ll pull it off, but it’s not impossible or completely out of the question either. If we’re flying all the way there, we want to go far. But just like at the EURO, data analysis shows we’ve landed in the toughest group of all. That’s where the experience from the EURO might help us.”

Without a good rapport with the players and the staff, you’ll never be able to get the most out of the team.

Ralf Rangnick

Bild: GEPA

But first up today is the friendly against South Korea, Rangnick’s 44th international match on the red-white-red bench. No Austrian head coach in this millennium has come close to his points-per-game average of 1.93.