Marcel Sabitzer Takes Break from Austria National Team

Marcel Sabitzer is hitting pause on Austria.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder has decided to take a break from international duty and will miss this year’s Nations League group-stage matches, the Austrian Football Association has confirmed.

At 32, with 102 caps and 27 goals for his country, Sabitzer is not walking away lightly. He plans to reassess his future with the national team before qualification for Euro 2028 begins next March.

Three Seasons in Two Years

Sabitzer pointed to a brutal workload over the past two years. After Euro 2024, he effectively felt like he had played three full seasons, with the Club World Cup and the World Cup squeezed into an already packed calendar.

This campaign brings no relief: Bundesliga, German Cup, Champions League. The games keep coming, and something had to give.

So he spoke with Austria head coach Ralf Rangnick. The outcome: a mutually agreed break from the national side, with a decision on a potential return to be revisited early next year ahead of Euro 2028 qualifying.

Rangnick Regrets, But Accepts

Rangnick made it clear he would rather have his midfield leader available. He regrets Sabitzer’s absence, yet accepts the reasoning and the need to manage the player’s load.

A final call on Sabitzer’s role in the next cycle will be made before Euro 2028 qualifying starts.

For now, Rangnick must plan without him. He is set to announce his squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures: Israel in Linz on September 24 and Kosovo in Vienna on September 29. October brings two more tests on the road, against Ireland in Dublin and Kosovo in Pristina.

Austria move into a new phase without one of their most experienced voices. The question now is simple: when Euro 2028 qualifying kicks off, will Sabitzer be back at the heart of it, or will this pause become a full stop?