Guido Burgstaller: Farewell to the Carinthian lower league from Rapid?

Guido Burgstaller: Farewell to the Carinthian lower league from Rapid?

Austrian football has lost one of its audience favorites: Guido Burgstaller, once a shining star at SK Rapid, announced the end of his active career today at the age of 36. In an emotional video message, the Carinthian announced that he was retiring from professional football and would like to spend more time with his family in the future. This decision comes after almost two decades that Burgstaller has been active in professional sports, starting in his native Carinthia.

Burgstaller, who provided an impressive stage setting, appeared for various well-known clubs in Austria and beyond over the course of his career. He played for FC Kärnten, SC Wiener Neustadt, Cardiff City and FC Schalke 04, among others. In total, he can look back on almost 600 appearances and 183 goals in national and international competitions. He was particularly successful at Rapid: in two periods he scored 70 goals in 210 competitive games and was voted “Rapidler of the Year” three times, which further underlines his popularity.

A sad farewell

His last highlight was an emotional opening goal in the 346th Vienna derby, which Rapid won 2-1. This encounter was particularly meaningful for Burgstaller after he had previously suffered a serious head injury. He also wore the captain's armband in the 2023/24 season, but gave it up at his own request. SK Rapid's sporting director, Markus Katzer, indicated that Burgstaller would be offered a new role at the club, which doesn't quite spell the end of his career.

After his withdrawal, Burgstaller plans to settle in Carinthia. But the rumor mill is already churning: SK Maria Saal, a club from the Carinthian lower league, has emerged as a potential new employer. Burgstaller has a personal connection to player-coach Fabian Miesenböck, who had already invited him to his wedding in 2022. As sport-fan.at reports, there is still no official confirmation of a change, but SK Maria Saal is keeping quiet on the matter.

A life for football

Despite his retirement from professional football, Burgstaller will remain connected to football. The exciting plans for the future suggest that he could remain active in the world of football during his time in Carinthia. The patron of SK Maria Saal, Helmut Ofner, has caused surprises in the past, which only makes the Burgstaller scenario even more interesting.

In summary, Burgstaller has had an impressive career. With 26 appearances for the Austrian national team and numerous goals, he left a lasting impression. Now it remains to be seen whether we will soon see him in a new role that does justice to his passion for football.

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