A football life only for SV Ried: Marcel Ziegl’s career ends on Saturday

“To be honest, I have mixed feelings when I look at the pitch. It hurts a little that it’s the last time, because of course I wanted to be able to play for a few more years. I’m going to miss football,” says Marcel Ziegl. The weeks before the official announcement of his impending retirement after this season were a rollercoaster of emotions. “I’m glad it’s out now, because I’ve been carrying it around with me for some time.” The 31-year-old is standing in the empty standing area of ​​the Innviertel Arena. On Saturday (5.30 p.m.) at the SV Guntamatic Ried match against Dornbirn, there will be a big choreography for the captain of the Ried team. Ziegl will run onto the pitch one last time in the jersey of his “heart club”. The plan is for the midfielder to be replaced after four minutes, based on his shirt number.

His body, especially his knee, is no longer up to scratch. Ziegl played his last competitive game a year ago. “It was definitely the hardest decision of my life so far. I did everything I could for over a year and a half to get fit again. But I’m at peace with myself, it was the right decision,” says Ziegl. He has all but ruled out a continuation in the lower house of football. “It won’t work out, it would be nonsense.”

Bundesliga debut at 15 years old

A look back: Marcel Ziegl was 13 years old when he moved from SK Kammer am Attersee to SV Ried’s U15 team. Since then, he has never worn any other kit than that of the Ried footballers. Ziegl made his debut on November 29, 2008, at the age of 15 years and eleven months against LASK. Since then, there has been no younger debutant in the Austrian Bundesliga. Ziegl, along with Salzburg’s Andreas Ulmer, stands for “club loyalty” like no other. He spent 16 years in the professional team under 16 different coaches. When he was fit, Ziegl was a regular player under almost all of them.

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