One of the Bundesliga’s famed “cult figures” has officially returned to professional football. At the age of 32, former Borussia Mönchengladbach, Augsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt central defender Martin Hinteregger went the full 90 minutes in the Austrian Bundesliga today. Hinteregger represented Austria Klagenfurt in a 0-0 draw against his old academy side, RB Salzburg. 

The famous character – supported by the equally famous “Hinti-Army” Eintracht supporters during his final years in the Bundesliga – shockingly retired from professional football after helping Eintracht win the 2021/22 Europa League crown. The decision to hang up his boots at the age of only 29 came out of nowhere.

Hinteregger was, after all, nowhere near past his prime. The 67-times-capped Austrian international had featured prominently for Oliver Glasner’s SGE in the league that year and even earned Team of the Tournament honours in his nine Europa League appearances. Germans continued to follow Hinteregger as he played amateur football with his childhood hometown club in Austria.  

Somehow, one had the sense that the trained helicopter pilot who regularly took his Bundesliga teammates out on aerial rides on his days off, couldn’t give up his competitive spirit entirely. He signed an 18 month deal with Klagenfurt in January, with Sunday marking his first competitive appearance in 1,012 days. 

“It’s like I never left,” Hinteregger remarked in an interview with Sky Sports Austria. ”Of course it takes a bit of time and I’m giving myself time, but today it felt extremely good and have also felt good in training. I’m super happy and also a little surprised that it’s going so well.”

GGFN | Peter Weis