Burgstaller resigns: Rapid celebrates European Cup and new start!

Burgstaller resigns: Rapid celebrates European Cup and new start!

Wien, Österreich - Guido Burgstaller announced his resignation from professional football after an impressive career. The 36-year-old striker of the SK Rapid ended his career with a positive degree when his team introduced a 3-0 win against LASK on June 2, 2025 and thus secured a place in the European Cup. Burgstaller scored the first goal of the game after a mistake by Hrvoje Smolcic and also provided a crucial flank on Ercan Karas.

This final game was particularly important for Burgstaller because it played his 211st game for Rapid. He describes his decision at the end of the career as consciously and matured for a long time. "It grabbed us in honor," said Burgstaller, who is happy about his valuable contribution to the team.

a farewell with melancholy

In his last home game against Meister Sturm Graz, which only took place a week before the last guest performance in Salzburg, Burgstaller was duly adopted. Despite the difficult circumstances, the team had believed in their skills, which Burgstaller found it particularly important. After serious head injuries in December, he is grateful for his current state of health and the opportunity to successfully complete his career.

Markus Katzer, Managing Director Sport of SK Rapid, Plant, to keep Burgstaller in another function in the club in order to benefit from his experience. Burgstaller does not rule out a return to Rapid in the future and is in exchange with the club. His path back to the Carinthian homeland is also an important step to gain distance from football.

commitment beyond football

During his last few weeks in football, Burgstaller has also found time to pursue a social project. He has taken a trainer-B license course and launched the “Band with Heart” project, which supports children and adolescents with physical and mental impairments. He has already carried out the first promotions of the project, which corresponds to his wish to move something beyond football.

The importance of sports psychology in football, which was already discussed with Burgstaller's last coach Stefan Kulovits, is also evident in this phase of his career. Sports psychology is still considered important in football, but access is often difficult for many players, which is also discussed in the industry. The understanding of psychological aspects of the game could also help promote the mental strength of players and to accompany them through such transitions.

Burgstaller will follow the coming season as a spectator and is certainly a formative figure in football that wants to go to the next level both in terms of sport and humanit.