Sabitzer steps back from Austria duty to manage workload

Marcel Sabitzer will take a temporary break from international football, with Austria confirming the Borussia Dortmund midfielder will not feature in this year’s Nations League group matches. The 32‑year‑old, who has scored 27 goals in 102 appearances for his country, plans to reassess his future ahead of the 2028 European Championship qualifiers beginning next March. Sabitzer said the past two seasons had been “very intense,” noting that commitments across EURO 2024, the Club World Cup and the World Cup effectively left him playing three campaigns without pause.

He stressed that managing his energy was essential to prolonging his career at the highest level, and agreed with coach Ralf Rangnick to step aside temporarily. Rangnick admitted it was unfortunate to lose such an influential player but welcomed Sabitzer’s willingness to return if needed. Austria face Israel and Kosovo later this month, before travelling to Ireland and Kosovo again in early October.