Once the hub of intellectualized soccer discussion a century ago, Austria is back in the big time and fittingly championing one of the sport’s great modern tactical concepts.

Austria is a nation boasting immense soccer influence, and its World Cup heritage shouldn’t be overlooked. Hugo Meisl’s “Wunderteam” stars came ever so close to winning the 1934 tournament, but they were compromised, in more ways than one, by Europe’s drift towards fascism at the time.

It has spent decades in the wilderness, with interest in the national team dissipating almost completely before its savior came along in 2022.…