The coach of the Austrian national football team has dismissed claims that a World Cup conspiracy existed between his squad and Algeria following their dramatic 3-3 draw in the group stage, a result that sent both teams through to the round of 16.
The encounter, which unfolded in the final minutes of regulation time, saw Algeria take a late lead through captain Riyad Mahrez in the 93rd minute, only for substitute Sasa Kalajdzic to level the score with virtually the last kick of the game.
Speaking with conviction after the match, Ralf Rangnick rejected the notion that the outcome was prearranged, pointing to the frenetic final stages as undeniable proof of genuine competition.
No room for conspiracy in a match of chaos
“When a game ends 3-3, no one can seriously suggest there was an agreement—especially not after what happened in the final 90 seconds,” he stated. “Three minutes from time, if someone had predicted that sequence, you’d have thought they were mad.”
The German tactician, with nearly four decades of coaching experience, described the match as one of the most unpredictable he had ever witnessed. “Most people expected a dull 0-0 or 1-1. Instead, we got 3-3—utter madness in the dressing room. If Alfred Hitchcock had penned this script, I’d have told him he’d lost his mind.”
Rangnick was adamant that both teams had pushed for victory right until the final whistle. “Anyone watching the last 15 minutes knows there was no sign of a deliberate draw. I believe every player wanted to win. It’s absurd to think that at the 93rd minute, someone suddenly thought, ‘Let’s score another.’ Maybe one or two Algerians entertained the idea, but the rest of the team? Certainly not—and certainly not me.”