Marcel Sabitzer Steps Away from Austria National Team Until Euro 2028

Marcel Sabitzer has pressed pause on his Austria career, stepping back from the national team until at least the start of Euro 2028 qualifying.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder will miss this year’s Nations League group-stage fixtures, the Austrian Football Association confirmed, with Channel NewsAsia reporting the decision from the camp in Austria.

A Hundred Caps, and Then a Halt

At 32, Sabitzer is not walking away lightly. He has 102 caps and 27 goals for Austria, a central figure across multiple qualification campaigns and major tournaments. Now he wants space before deciding whether to go again.

He will reassess his international future ahead of the Euro 2028 qualifiers, which begin next March. Until then, Austria will have to do without one of their most experienced voices in the dressing room and one of their most reliable presences on the pitch.

“Three Seasons” in Two Years

Sabitzer has pinned his decision on an unforgiving calendar. The last two years, he argued, have pushed him to the limit.

After Euro 2024, he effectively felt as if he had played three seasons on the bounce, with the Club World Cup and the World Cup crammed into the schedule. The new campaign offers no respite: Bundesliga, German Cup, Champions League. Every competition demands full intensity.

The midfielder said he had reached an agreement with head coach Ralf Rangnick to take a break. Early next year, both sides will sit down again and decide whether Sabitzer returns for the Euro 2028 qualifying programme.

Rangnick Regrets Absence, Backs Decision

Rangnick did not hide his disappointment at losing such a key figure, but he backed Sabitzer’s reasoning. The Austria coach acknowledged the strain his player has been under and accepted the need for a breather.

He made it clear that no final line has been drawn under Sabitzer’s international career. A call on his long-term involvement will be made before Euro 2028 qualifying kicks off.

In the meantime, Rangnick must move on with the players at his disposal. He is preparing to name his squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures: Israel in Linz on September 24, then Kosovo in Vienna on September 29. October brings two more tests on the road, against Ireland in Dublin and a return meeting with Kosovo in Pristina.

Austria now enter that run of games without one of their leaders. The question is simple and sharp: who steps into the space Sabitzer leaves behind as the road to Euro 2028 begins to take shape?