1 week ago
Austria guardant Marko Arnautovic is group to play successful his 3rd European Championship this summertime astatine nan property of 35, and his broadside could hardly person been fixed a tougher opening task.
On Monday night, Ralf Rangnick's men will return connected France, a squad overmuch fancied by galore to spell each nan measurement successful Germany, successful their first Euro 2024 match.
Arnautovic could beryllium near to lead nan statement against nan formidable French arsenic Austria look to outpouring an upset, and they will request their talisman astatine his very best.
In 112 world appearances, Arnautovic has netted 36 goals, and his value connected nan shot cannot beryllium questioned. But nan aforesaid can't beryllium said for immoderate of his behaviour complete nan years.
Having near his homeland to subordinate FC Twente arsenic a 17-year-old successful 2006, Arnautovic collapsed into nan first squad nan pursuing year.
Marko Arnautovic (pictured) is group to play astatine his 3rd European Championship
He has a arguable past and was accused of utilizing nan n-word by Ibrahim Kargbo (right) successful 2009
The goals did not instantly arrive, but successful nan 2008-09 play he made his large breakthrough, scoring 12 times successful 28 Eredivisie outings.
But it was a run marred by contention for Arnautovic arsenic he was accused of utilizing nan n-word by Willem II defender Ibrahim Kargbo during a lucifer successful March 2009.
A consequent Dutch FA investigation recovered nary grounds to support nan declare of racism, but Arnautovic was sent retired connected indebtedness to Inter Milan that summer.
It was present that he met Jose Mourinho. Two immense personalities - what could perchance spell wrong?
Quite a lot, apparently. The brace only spent a twelvemonth together, and it was a historical 1 for Inter arsenic they won an unprecedented Treble, but Arnautovic saw his crippled clip constricted and Mourinho was unimpressed by his attitude.
After Arnautovic struck up a relationship pinch Mario Balotelli, Mourinho gave an penetration into what it was for illustration to coach nan 2 strikers.
'Marko is simply a awesome guy, but he has nan cognition of a kid,' said nan Portuguese leader up of his first call-up to nan matchday squad against Chievo.
'Mario Balotelli is his champion friend and they conscionable hap to person nan aforesaid traits. It's not easy.'
Arnautovic was accused of having 'the cognition of a kid' by Jose Mourinho while astatine Inter Milan
Arnautovic was adjacent friends pinch Mario Balotelli (right) and Mourinho admitted they weren't easy to manage
Arnautovic was sent backmost to FC Twente earlier Werder Bremen came calling and he moved connected to Germany successful 2010.
Much for illustration astatine Inter, he instantly started disconnected connected nan incorrect foot, pinch nine skipper Torsten Frings offering a damning appraisal of his caller team-mate.
'He has his ain measurement of doing things, which is peculiarly unwelcome astatine Bremen,' Frings explained.
'He argues excessively much, often says nary and must find a equilibrium that does not travel crossed truthful arrogantly.'
Despite Frings' concerns, Arnautovic lasted 3 years astatine Bremen, but nan penning was connected nan wall erstwhile he and Dutch world Eljero Elia were banned by nan club for nan last period of nan 2012-13 play for speeding successful abstracted incidents successful nan aforesaid week.
His clip successful Germany was up, but Stoke decided to return a bet connected him and brought Arnautovic to nan Premier League.
Remarkably, it took Arnautovic until November to triumph his first convention lucifer successful 2013, starring to him being branded 'the worst subordinate successful Europe' by German outlet Bild.
When he yet collapsed his duck, Arnautovic deed backmost astatine his critics, insisting 'I don't attraction what they say'.
Arnautovic was dubbed 'the worst subordinate successful Europe' during his first play astatine Stoke
Things improved astatine West Ham but fans turned against him erstwhile he near abruptly for China
Arnautovic admitted he fto his standards gaffe aft securing his big-money transportation to China
Scoring goals was an rumor for Arnautovic successful his first 2 years astatine Stoke arsenic he recovered nan nett conscionable 5 times successful nan league, but he yet deed his stride successful 2015-16 pinch 11 strikes successful England's apical flight.
A twelvemonth later, West Ham made their move to bring him to eastbound London.
It was somewhat astonishing to spot Wes Ham scatter retired £24m connected a subordinate that had blown basking and cold, but Arnautovic silenced his doubters by reaching double figures for goals successful each of his 2 seasons pinch nan Irons.
He was becoming a fans' favourite, and past dropped nan bombshell successful 2019 that he wanted to time off to unafraid a big-money move to China.
He sewage his wish, starring to nan Hammers posting a blunt 45-word farewell message aft fans had turned connected Arnautovic.
These should person been nan highest years of Arnautovic's career, but aft joining Shanghai SIPG for £23m, he openly admitted he fto his standards slip.
Speaking to Beanyman Sports successful August 2020 astir really he approached his caller league, Arnautovic said: 'I underestimated it. I didn't train. I didn't look aft my body. I was eating. I was drinking fizzy drinks - Sprite, Coca Cola, Fanta - each these sweetener drinks that are not bully for nan body.
'Eating astatine incorrect times. Not sleeping, because erstwhile I came to China it took maine astir 3 weeks until I could accommodate to nan time. I went to furniture astatine 6, 7 o'clock successful nan morning. I woke up 3, 4 o'clock successful nan afternoon, went to training, stayed up again each night, eating astatine incorrect times.'
Arnautovic allegedly shouted 'I'm f****** your Albanian mother' astatine Ezgjan Alioski (right) during nan Euro 2020 conflict betwixt Austria and North Macedonia
He had to beryllium restrained by team-mate David Alaba, and was later handed a one-match ban
He whitethorn not person taken his clip successful China excessively seriously, but Arnautovic still did capable to gain a call-up to Austria's squad for nan delayed Euro 2020.
His broadside made nan cleanable commencement to nan tournament, beating North Macedonia 3-1 successful their opening game, pinch Arnautovic sealing nan triumph precocious on.
But he was past progressive successful an unsavoury incident wherever he was accused of shouting 'I'm f****** your Albanian mother' successful nan guidance of guidance defender Ezgjan Alioski.
SERBIA AND ALBANIA: THE KOSOVO WAR
Marko Arnautovic was calved to a Serbian begetter and Austrian mother and grew up successful Vienna, Austria.
Serbian and Montenegrin forces, who had occupied Kosovo astatine nan time, came into conflict pinch Kosovo Albanian rebel forces (known arsenic nan Kosovo Liberation Army) successful February 1998.
The KLA were fighting against nan Serbian persecution of Kosovo Albanians.
The conflict ended successful March 1999 aft NATO launched aerial strikes, starring to nan Serbian-Montenegrins leaving nan region.
Arnautovic, who is of Serbian heritage, appeared to make comments towards guidance players and past turned towards spectators. Reports alleged his first remarks were aimed astatine defender Egzon Bejtulai and Ezgjan Alioski, who some person Albanian roots, earlier he was restrained by team-mate David Alaba.
UEFA subsequently issued Arnautovic pinch a one-match prohibition pursuing his outburst, but made nary reference to racism successful their ruling.
Arnautovic later took to Instagram to apologise for his actions and insisted he was not a racist.
'There were immoderate heated words yesterday successful nan emotions of nan crippled for which I would for illustration to apologise - particularly to my friends from North Macedonia and Albania,' he wrote.
'I would for illustration to opportunity 1 point very clearly: I americium not a racist. I person friends successful almost each state and I guidelines for diversity. Everyone who knows maine is alert of that.'
Arnautovic returned to nan Austria broadside later successful nan tourney earlier their last-16 exit, and past went backmost to Italy that summertime arsenic he signed for Bologna.
He deed nan crushed running, scoring 14 goals successful Serie A, and was past linked pinch a daze move to Manchester United successful 2022.
United fans made their feelings clear connected nan projected transfer arsenic they called for nan nine to look for replacement options pursuing his arguable remarks astatine Euro 2020.
In nan end, he didn't move to Old Trafford, but he did subordinate a large nine past twelvemonth erstwhile he re-signed for Inter.
In his first twelvemonth backmost pinch nan Nerazzurri, he scored 5 convention goals arsenic they ran distant pinch nan Serie A title, but their Champions League run ended pinch a disappointing information of 16 elimination astatine nan hands of Atletico Madrid.
Arnautovic tried a no-look decorativeness against Atletico Madrid successful nan Champions League past term
He was accused of being 'arrogant' by Michael Owen, and it is not nan first clip that connection has been utilized to picture him
Inter dominated nan first limb astatine nan San Siro, but only emerged pinch a 1-0 advantage, and Arnautovic was slammed by TNT Sports pundit Michael Owen for being 'arrogant' erstwhile he tried a no-look decorativeness astatine a important constituent successful nan match.
It proved to beryllium a pivotal miss arsenic Inter were beaten 2-1 successful nan return limb earlier losing connected penalties.
Still, Arnautovic did play his portion successful a title-winning run for Inter, and contempt now being successful his mid-thirties, he is still tin of producing a infinitesimal of magic.
But tin he yet fto his shot do each nan talking astatine Euro 2024? History suggests contention is ne'er acold distant erstwhile Arnautovic is progressive arsenic he prepares to return centre shape erstwhile more.
