Austria Wins Euro 2008 in The Miracle of Vienna*

*a fake documentary

It’s no secret that Austria’s Euro 2008 chances aren’t good. The Guardian’s preview sums it up very simply with: “Austria’s main problem is that they don’t have many good players.”

Oh dear. But at least Austria has a sense of humour about it.

The above clip is taken from the 45 minute mockumentary that was broadcast on Austrian TV on Friday, the night before the Euros kicked off. Title “Das Wunder von Wien: Wir sind Europamesiter” (The Miracle of Vienna: We Are European Chamions) it takes a look back on Euro 2008, four weeks after Austria beat Netherlands 2-1 in the final at Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna.

Even better, Austria beats Germany in the semis, and (from what I can Google Translate from here) appears to cause some sort of recession in the Fatherland.

And while the film features a host of real-life football figures - including Franz Beckenbauer, Hans Krankl, Otto Rehhagel, Giovanni Trapattoni and a victorious Josef Hickersberger - the only fictional character in the film is young striker Peter Hruska. The uncapped German player opts to play for Austria just in time for Euro kickoff and leads the team to glory.

We’ll see how closely life can imitate art when the real Austrian team kicks off its Euro 2008 campaign against Croatia later today. Without Peter Kruska of course.