# Marcel Sabitzer
**Marcel Sabitzer** (born 1994) is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for [Borussia Dortmund](https://www.edgepedia.org/borussia-dortmund) and the Austria national team, which he has represented more than 100 times since his senior debut in 2012.[1](https://www.fotmob.com/players/215151/marcel-sabitzer) • [2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) A right-footed player used across midfield and forward positions, he has won league titles in Austria and Germany, the English League Cup, and reached the 2024 [UEFA Champions League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-champions-league) final with Dortmund.[1](https://www.fotmob.com/players/215151/marcel-sabitzer) • [2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) • [3](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/02a6-20d159406296-f54718194327-1000--austria-at-the-world-cup-2026-squad-fixtures-group-and-hi/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1994; right-footed midfielder[1](https://www.fotmob.com/players/215151/marcel-sabitzer) |
| Current club | Borussia Dortmund, number 20, since summer 2023[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) |
| BVB record | 117 competitive appearances, 8 goals, 13 assists through the end of the 2025/26 season[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) |
| Austria record | Senior debut 5 June 2012; more than 100 caps; record 11 EURO final-tournament appearances for Austria[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) • [4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d8222baca47-077953858a9a-1000--uefa-european-championship-records-austria/) |
| Major club honors | Austrian champion and cup winner 2015 (Salzburg); German champion 2022 and 2023 (Bayern Munich); English League Cup 2023 (Manchester United)[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) |
| European highlight | Champions League finalist with Borussia Dortmund in 2024[3](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/02a6-20d159406296-f54718194327-1000--austria-at-the-world-cup-2026-squad-fixtures-group-and-hi/) |
| International highlight | World Cup round of 32 with Austria in summer 2026, playing over 90 minutes in all four of Austria's matches[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) |
## Early career in Austria
Sabitzer is the son of Herfried Sabitzer, a former Austrian international, and began his own career at ESV Admira Villach before moving through [Grazer AK](https://www.edgepedia.org/grazer-ak) and Austria Wien to the academy of Wacker Mödling.[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) With FC Admira Wacker Mödling he won the Austrian second-division title in 2011, and a move to FC Salzburg followed, where he won the Austrian championship and the Austrian cup in 2015.[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html)
## Germany and England
In August 2015 Sabitzer made his debut for [RB Leipzig](https://www.edgepedia.org/rb-leipzig), then a second-tier German club, and helped it win promotion to the top flight in his first season at the club.[5](https://www.manutd.com/ar/news/marcel-sabitzer-career-story-so-far-prior-to-loan-signing-for-man-utd) He spent several years at Leipzig, where tactical analysts described his strengths as positional play, finding open spaces to receive passes, and the ability to defend from the front after a transition from the wing to central midfield.[6](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/marcel-sabitzer-bundesliga-rb-leipzig-tactical-analysis)
In the summer of 2021 he signed for Bayern Munich, reuniting with former Leipzig coach [Julian Nagelsmann](https://www.edgepedia.org/julian-nagelsmann).[5](https://www.manutd.com/ar/news/marcel-sabitzer-career-story-so-far-prior-to-loan-signing-for-man-utd) At Bayern he won the German championship in 2022 and 2023 and the German Supercup in 2022.[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) In the 2022/23 winter window he moved on loan to Manchester United, the first Austrian player to join the club, and finished the season with an English League Cup winner's medal.[5](https://www.manutd.com/ar/news/marcel-sabitzer-career-story-so-far-prior-to-loan-signing-for-man-utd) • [2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html)
## Borussia Dortmund
After the half-season loan at Manchester United, Sabitzer joined Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023.[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) In his first season the club reached the 2024 Champions League final at Wembley, losing to Real Madrid; Sabitzer had played a prominent role in the quarterfinal elimination of [Atlético Madrid](https://www.edgepedia.org/atletico-madrid).[7](https://as.com/futbol/mundial/el-drama-de-sabitzer-tras-perder-la-champions-contra-el-real-madrid-todos-los-que-me-vieron-saben-lo-que-me-ha-hecho-f202607-n/) • [8](https://as.com/us/futbol/sabitzer-teniamos-un-sueno-y-lo-conseguimos-vamos-a-londres-n/)
By the end of the 2025/26 season he had passed 100 competitive appearances for the club, with 117 games, 8 goals, and 13 assists across all competitions, alongside 13 yellow cards and one red card.[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) In 2025/26 alone he made 34 appearances across three leagues, 27 of them starts, totaling 2,340 minutes with 1 goal and 4 assists.[9](https://fbref.com/en/players/e280527c/all_comps/Marcel-Sabitzer-Stats---All-Competitions) His role at Dortmund has shifted with the squad around him: in September 2026 he wore the captain's armband in a [DFB-Pokal](https://www.edgepedia.org/dfb-pokal) match as the club's oldest outfield player, while the signing of Joey Veerman added direct competition for his midfield place.[10](https://wp.sport1.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/2026/09/er-ist-der-leidtragende-des-bvb-umbruchs)
## Austria national team
Sabitzer progressed through every Austrian youth national team from the U16 level upward and debuted for the senior team on 5 June 2012.[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) He has since become one of the defining figures of the ÖFB side, passing 100 international appearances.[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) A Spanish report during the 2026 World Cup put him at 101 caps and 27 international goals.[7](https://as.com/futbol/mundial/el-drama-de-sabitzer-tras-perder-la-champions-contra-el-real-madrid-todos-los-que-me-vieron-saben-lo-que-me-ha-hecho-f202607-n/)
At the European Championship he holds Austria's record for final-tournament appearances, with 11, ahead of [Marko Arnautović](https://www.edgepedia.org/marko-arnautovic) on 10; UEFA's records page from January 2024 also credited him with 34 overall appearances and 8 goals for Austria at that date.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d8222baca47-077953858a9a-1000--uefa-european-championship-records-austria/) He played at the EUROs of 2016, 2020, and 2024, and at EURO 2020 a tactical analysis highlighted how he dominated multiple phases of Austria's 3-1 win over [North Macedonia](https://www.edgepedia.org/north-macedonia), moving into a number-10 or even center-forward position in attack.[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) • [11](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/match-analysis/euro-2020-austria-vs-north-macedonia-tactical-analysis-tactics)
The 2026 World Cup marked his greatest success in an Austria shirt: the team reached the round of 32, and Sabitzer played over 90 minutes in all four of Austria's matches.[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) He won his 100th cap during the group stage of that tournament.[3](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/02a6-20d159406296-f54718194327-1000--austria-at-the-world-cup-2026-squad-fixtures-group-and-hi/) Under coach [Ralf Rangnick](https://www.edgepedia.org/ralf-rangnick), who took the Austria job in 2022 and led the team to the EURO 2024 round of 16, Sabitzer is part of the squad's leadership group alongside [David Alaba](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-alaba) and Marko Arnautović.[3](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/02a6-20d159406296-f54718194327-1000--austria-at-the-world-cup-2026-squad-fixtures-group-and-hi/) • [12](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/austria-world-cup-2026-squad)
## Playing style
Sabitzer is characterized by large action ranges and high running intensity, contributing both goals and assists from midfield.[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html) Analysts have compared his deep-lying creative role to that of a modern playmaker who attacks with finesse and defends diligently, and noted his burst of pace after his move from the wing into central midfield.[6](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/marcel-sabitzer-bundesliga-rb-leipzig-tactical-analysis) His versatility has been a recurring theme of his career: he has played as a winger for Rapid Vienna and Salzburg, as an attacking or central midfielder, and in deeper holding roles, with analysts judging him most effective when a system accommodates his strengths rather than in a purely defensive position.[6](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/marcel-sabitzer-bundesliga-rb-leipzig-tactical-analysis)
## Honors
- Austrian second-division champion: 2011 (FC Admira Wacker Mödling)[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html)
- Austrian champion: 2015 (FC Salzburg)[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html)
- Austrian cup winner: 2015 (FC Salzburg)[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html)
- German champion: 2022, 2023 ([FC Bayern Munich](https://www.edgepedia.org/fc-bayern-munich))[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html)
- German Supercup winner: 2022 (FC Bayern Munich)[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html)
- English League Cup winner: 2023 (Manchester United)[2](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html)
## References
1. [Marcel Sabitzer – FotMob player profile](https://www.fotmob.com/players/215151/marcel-sabitzer)
2. [Marcel Sabitzer #20 – Official player profile, BVB.de](https://www.bvb.de/de/de/mannschaften/fussball/spieler/marcel-sabitzer.html)
3. [Austria at the World Cup 2026: Squad, fixtures, group and history – UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/news/02a6-20d159406296-f54718194327-1000--austria-at-the-world-cup-2026-squad-fixtures-group-and-hi/)
4. [UEFA European Championship records: Austria – UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d8222baca47-077953858a9a-1000--uefa-european-championship-records-austria/)
5. [Sabitzer: The story so far for United's first Austrian – Manchester United](https://www.manutd.com/ar/news/marcel-sabitzer-career-story-so-far-prior-to-loan-signing-for-man-utd)
6. [Marcel Sabitzer: RB Leipzig's Austrian Maestro – Total Football Analysis](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/player-analysis/marcel-sabitzer-bundesliga-rb-leipzig-tactical-analysis)
7. [El drama de Sabitzer tras perder la Champions contra el Real Madrid – AS](https://as.com/futbol/mundial/el-drama-de-sabitzer-tras-perder-la-champions-contra-el-real-madrid-todos-los-que-me-vieron-saben-lo-que-me-ha-hecho-f202607-n/)
8. [Sabitzer: "Teníamos un sueño y lo conseguimos. Vamos a Londres" – AS](https://as.com/us/futbol/sabitzer-teniamos-un-sueno-y-lo-conseguimos-vamos-a-londres-n/)
9. [Marcel Sabitzer – All Competitions Stats, FBref.com](https://fbref.com/en/players/e280527c/all_comps/Marcel-Sabitzer-Stats---All-Competitions)
10. [Der Leidtragende des BVB-Umbruchs – Sport1](https://wp.sport1.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/2026/09/er-ist-der-leidtragende-des-bvb-umbruchs)
11. [EURO 2020: How 'versatile' Sabitzer dominated multiple phases of play vs North Macedonia – Total Football Analysis](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/match-analysis/euro-2020-austria-vs-north-macedonia-tactical-analysis-tactics)
12. [Austria World Cup 2026 squad: Ralf Rangnick's final 26-man selection – FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/team/austria-world-cup-2026-squad)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › German footballers born before 1995*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license