Marko Arnautović #7

Profile

Once an extremely polarising figure in Austria due to run-ins with police, teammates and opponents, Arnautovic has matured into an elder statesman. These days you are more likely to find him in negotiations for a new public holiday with the Austrian president than anything else off the pitch. The 36-year-old demanded a new public holiday after Austria qualified for the World Cup; president Alexander Van der Bellen suggested they might have to win the whole thing for that to happen. In March they met, taking selfies and coming to an agreement, although they did not reveal what it was. Arnautović surpassed Toni Polster as Austria’s most prolific international goalscorer during the World Cup qualifiers, and is known as a leader in the locker room. He may retire after the tournament but will remain his country’s most capped player for a while – he is currently 20 ahead of second-placed David Alaba.

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