Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marcel Sabitzer will take a temporary break from international football and miss Austria’s Nations League group matches this year, the Austrian Football Association (OFB) said on Sunday.
The 32-year-old has scored 27 goals in 102 appearances for Austria but will now review his international future before the start of qualifying for the 2028 European Championship next March.
Sabitzer said the demands of recent seasons had led him to agree the decision with Austria head coach Ralf Rangnick.
“The past two years have been very intense. Since EURO 2024, I've effectively played three seasons because of the Club World Cup and the World Cup,” Sabitzer said in a statement issued by the OFB.
“This season is also packed, with the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League. I'm 32 years old, I still want to play football at the highest level for several more years, and I have to manage my energy carefully.
“I therefore agreed with the coach, in open and trusting discussions, that I would take a break now and that we will discuss at the beginning of next year whether I will return to the national team for the Euro qualifiers.”
Rangnick said Sabitzer’s absence was disappointing but that he understood the midfielder’s reasons for stepping away.
“It is a shame that we will have to do without Marcel, but I understand his decision,” Rangnick said.
“We will make a joint decision in good time before the start of the EURO 2028 qualifying matches about how to proceed. In any case, I'm pleased that Marcel will basically be available again if we need him. That shows me how important the national team still is to him.”
Austria’s Nations League squad will be announced by Rangnick on Monday.
The team are due to face Israel at home in Linz on September 24th before hosting Kosovo in Vienna on September 27th.
Austria will then travel to Dublin to play Ireland on October 1st, followed by an away match against Kosovo in Pristina four days later.
Sabitzer’s decision means he will not be involved in those Nations League group fixtures, although the OFB statement leaves open the possibility of his return for next year’s Euro 2028 qualifying campaign.