“This defeat hurts, but it will not define us. We will come back stronger. For you. For us. For Austria!”, said the ÖFB record player.
Arnautovic thanked the fans: “You were our twelfth man, both in the stadiums and in front of the screens at home. Your passion and support drove us, every minute, in every game.”
There was also praise for the coaching team, “who always believed in us and motivated us to surpass ourselves. You showed us that nothing is impossible if we stick together as a team.”
For him, his ÖFB teammates “have become not only teammates, but brothers. We fought, suffered and celebrated together. These memories will remain in our hearts forever,” Arnautovic said. The Viennese also asserted: “This journey ends here, but our dreams and our pride remain unbroken.”
Arnautovic did not say whether he would continue to play for the national team in the future. The 35-year-old said immediately following the 1:2 defeat once morest Turkey that he wanted to discuss this topic with his family in the coming days and weeks.
