Alaba regrets the resignation of “legend” Hirscher

“It is of course a great shame for us Austrians when such a legend resigns,” said the Bayern Munich football star on Tuesday at the Austrian national team camp in Saalfelden. “He did what he did very, very successfully for over a decade.”

In addition to his eight overall World Cup triumphs, Hirscher has won seven World Cup titles and two Olympic gold medals. Alaba has only stolen the title of Austria's athlete of the year twice in the last seven years (2013 and 2014). The two exceptional athletes know each other from several appearances together, including at the Hahnenkamm Races in Kitzbühel.

Marcel Hirscher, Austria's ski star. © APA/afp / JONATHAN NACKSTRAND

“If it is fixed and official, then that will of course be a real shame. But then it is his decision,” said Alaba about Hirscher’s possible resignation. “I think he must have thought about it for a long time. I wish him only the best for his future – and congratulations again on everything he has done in his career, and also for us, for Austria.” Making big sacrifices for top-class sport Several top performers of Hirscher's age (30) have resigned from the ÖFB national team in recent years. Alaba also discussed the requirements of high-performance sport. “I do believe that top-class sport is something different today in terms of mentality and speed.” This applies to football as well as to skiing. “What you have to bring with you and work on the side and what sacrifices you have to make in order to really perform at the highest level every three days, in football for example – you have to do a lot.”

The public role in which you stand also contributes to this. “It was also the case in the summer that I would have liked more privacy and also more respect for my family. But of course we learn to deal with it over the years,” said Alaba. The 27-year-old will become the father of a boy in November – a little more than a year after Hirscher.

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Alaba regrets the resignation of “legend” Hirscher

David Alaba regrets Marcel Hirscher's likely retirement from alpine ski racing.

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