Marcel Sabitzer has never lined up against Argentina. He has never shared a pitch with Lionel Messi. Both of those things are about to change on one of the biggest stages in football.
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder is set to earn his 100th international cap for Austria when they face Argentina on June 22, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. A century of appearances for your country is rare enough. Doing it against the defending World Cup champions, with the greatest player of his generation on the opposite side, is the kind of script that even Hollywood would call a bit much.
A milestone match with maximum stakes
Sabitzer, born on March 17, 1994, has built a career defined by showing up in big moments. His club career at Dortmund has kept him in the upper tier of European football, competing regularly in the Champions League and Bundesliga.
Sabitzer has been clear about what this particular match means to him. He has acknowledged that he has never played against Argentina or Messi before, and he wants the occasion to be memorable.
