That comes as a surprise

ÖFB bombshell: Marcel Sabitzer is taking a break

The ÖFB team will have to do without Marcel Sabitzer for its upcoming matches.(Bild: AFP/FRANCOIS NEL)

This comes as a surprise! Marcel Sabitzer is taking a break from the Austrian national team: “The past two years have been very intense.”

The 32-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder, after consulting with head coach Ralf Rangnick, will not be available for at least the upcoming Nations League. The ÖFB announced this on Sunday morning. Sabitzer has been a mainstay of the team in recent years. He plans to “discuss with Rangnick early next year” whether he will return for next year’s European Championship qualifiers.

Ralf Rangnick(Bild: GEPA)

Sabitzer: “I’ve practically played through three seasons”
According to the ÖFB, Rangnick and Sabitzer had already discussed his future with the national team in depth in the run-up to the World Cup. He is not retiring—at least not for now. “The past two years have been very intense,” Sabitzer explained. Since the 2024 European Championship, he has “practically played through three seasons” due to the 2025 Club World Cup and the 2026 World Cup. This season, too, “a packed schedule” awaits him with the Bundesliga, the DFB Cup, and the Champions League.

Marcel Sabitzer(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

has played102 international matches to date. Sabitzer is in the final year of his contract in Dortmund. “I’m 32 years old, I want to keep playing soccer at the highest level for a few more years, and I have to manage my energy carefully,” explained the Styrian. Sabitzer has 102 international appearances to his credit, in which he has scored 27 goals. With one more appearance, he would tie for third place on the ÖFB’s all-time list with Andreas Herzog. Only Marko Arnautovic (137), who retired this summer, and David Alaba (currently 117) would then remain ahead of him.

The group stage of the Nations League takes place this fall, followed by potential playoffs in March. The draw for the qualifying groups for the 2028 European Championship in Great Britain and Ireland will take place on December 6 in Belfast. If the ÖFB team, which is currently in League B, is not involved in the Nations League promotion and relegation matches, European Championship qualifying could theoretically begin as early as March. Otherwise, the qualifiers are scheduled to start in June. Rangnick will announce his roster for the Nations League opener on Monday (2 p.m.) in Vienna.

Rangnick’s Understanding
“Marcel and I spoke very openly about the future even before the World Cup, and he shared his thoughts with me, which I can fully understand,” Rangnick explained in an ÖFB press release. “Of course, it’s a shame that we’ll have to do without him in the Nations League. But we’ll decide together, well in advance of the start of the Euro 2028 qualifiers, how to proceed from there.”

Marcel and I had already discussed the future in the run-up to the World Cup. He shared his thoughts with me, which I can fully understand.

Ralf Rangnick

He is pleased “that Marcel will, in principle, be available again when we need him,” Rangnick emphasized. “That shows me how important the national team still is to him.” With another European Championship appearance, Sabitzer would become the Austrian player with the most tournaments played to date. The midfielder is the only player in ÖFB history, aside from Arnautovic, to have participated in four final tournaments so far—namely, three European Championships (2016, 2021, and 2024) and, most recently, the World Cup in North America, where he also scored his most recent goal in the match against Algeria (3–3).