"Krone" column

Prohaska: “High time to take part in the World Cup”

Herbert Prohaska: "Qualifying for the 2026 finals is my highlight in the coming year!"

(Bild: AP, krone.at-grafik)

My personal highlight in 2024 was the golden wedding anniversary with my Elisabeth, now we will finally make up for our honeymoon, which never took place because I had training with Austria two days after our marriage during my active time back then. It was also pleasing that the second book 'Lustig war's immer' with my friend Hans Krankl has already sold 24,000 copies, as we were both skeptical as to whether a second edition would even make sense. People like to read and listen to old stories, I can speak for myself.

Herbert Prohaska (left) and Hans Krankl

(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

Now I'm looking forward to January 8, when ORF will be recording the show "Seitenwechsel" with Christoph Grissemann, the World Ski Championships will be the topic with guests Alexandra Meissnitzer and Hannes Reichelt, and in August we'll be playing a gig with my friend Pete Art at the Theater im Park in Vienna, the realm of star cabaret artist Michael Niavarani, so to speak. We will also be doing a tour "on the red chair" through Salzburg, Linz and St. Pölten - each with a talk and concert.

The highlight of 2025 won't be my 70th birthday, because that's not an achievement, just an appearance, but the World Cup qualifiers - it's time for our national team to qualify for the finals for the first time since 1998. For Marko Arnautovic and David Alaba, it's their last chance at the World Cup.

David Alaba (left) and Marko Arnautovic

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

I hope that "my" Austria can also be among the front runners in the spring. Nobody could have expected second place, a lot has been achieved. The spring is off to a tough start: Sturm away in the Cup and in the Bundesliga, Rapid and Salzburg at home in the league - it will soon become clear where the path leads.

I was recently asked whether Austria has the potential to win the title. I'll put it this way: since the points are shared, everything is moving closer together again, which will be very difficult. But the summer will be more decisive. Will the economic situation allow you to strengthen your squad? That will be a mammoth task. Even if it sounds banal, peace in the world is much more important than any soccer match. But I fear that it will be difficult to shut down the hotbeds of war.