Austria lineup vs. Spain: Predicted XI for World Cup 2026 last-32 clash amid David Alaba, Marko Arnautovic concerns

Austria veterans Marko Arnautovic and David Alaba have emerged as minor injury doubts for Thursday's World Cup 2026 last-32 battle with Spain at the SoFi Stadium.

Das Team edged into the knockout rounds courtesy of a mesmerising 3-3 draw with Algeria in their Group J finale, one in which Arnautovic and Alaba were borh taken off prematurely as precautionary measures.

Head coach Ralf Rangnick played down the severity of both players' concerns at full time, so there are no major fears over either man's availability for the last-32 encounter.

Michael Gregoritsch and last-minute hero Sasa Kalajdzic - scorer of Austria's 96th-minute equaliser vs. Algeria - are both waiting in the wings to replace Arnautovic, but the 37-year-old is on course to make the cut.

Arnautovic - who last time out became the oldest man to both score and be booked in the same World Cup match - should therefore continue as part of an unaltered front four, also lining up alongside Marcel Sabitzer, Konrad Laimer and Romano Schmid.

Nicolas Siewald and Xaver Schlager are shoo-ins in the centre of the park, while Alaba is expected to shake off his muscular tightness to keep Kevin Danso at bay.

The Tottenham Hotspur man is a viable option if Rangnick switches to a back three, but an identical four-man wall is expected to take to the field from the first whistle.

Austria possible starting lineup:

A. Schlager; Posch, Lienhart, Alaba, Mwene; Siewald, X. Schlager; Laimer, Schmid, Sabitzer; Arnautovic

> Click here to see how Spain could line up against Austria