Marcel Hirscher is planning a spectacular return to the Ski World Cup!

Marcel Hirscher is planning a spectacular return to the Ski World Cup!

On June 18, 2025, Marcel Hirscher announced his return to alpine skiing via social media. After a serious injury in which he tore the cruciate ligament in his left knee, the eight-time overall World Cup winner plans to compete in the World Cup again next winter. Hirscher, who ended his active career in 2019, will now compete for the Netherlands, his mother's country of birth, after the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV) approved the change of nation. ÖSV General Secretary Christian Scherer expressed regret about the decision, but supported Hirscher's return to the international ski circuit.

Hirscher, who turns 36 on August 2, emphasizes that the rehabilitation after his operation went well. In the 197 days since the injury, he has put in more than 1,000 hours of rehab and therapy. “The injury made me realize the importance of health,” explains Hirscher. He also sees his comeback as motivation for his ski company Van Deer.

Comeback plans and wild cards

Hirscher’s return to skiing is described as a “project of the heart”. In order to make his return easier, the FIS has approved the remaining wildcard starts from the previous season for the coming winter. This allows him to not start from the bottom, which is common for returning players from injuries. Hirscher plans to start skiing again in September, depending on the doctor's green light, and expresses a desire to compete in a World Cup race as early as possible.

The Salzburg player, who has won a total of 67 World Cup victories in his career, also wants to collect ranking points in New Zealand in the summer. He plans to announce the disciplines, racing calendar and team structure in the near future. In recent years he has won the overall World Cup eight times in a row from 2011 to 2019 and is also a two-time Olympic champion and a seven-time world champion.

The future of the ski elite

With Hirscher, not only is an extraordinary talent returning to the ski circus, but also a true sports icon. His successes are impressive: over 138 podium places, seven world championship titles and numerous small crystal balls in slalom and giant slalom underline his dominance in skiing. This return, which will also be accompanied by Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, a Norwegian competing for Brazil, could bring about interesting developments in the Alpine Ski World Cup.

The ski world is looking forward to Marcel Hirscher's progress and his comeback, which is not only of great importance in terms of sport but also emotionally. His decision-making process to return after all these years and challenges could be another incentive for many young athletes who want to follow in his footsteps.