Schnaderbeck was on the field 83 times for the ÖFB team, for the first time on May 5, 2007 in a 0-1 defeat against Poland, most recently in the important 1-0 win against Norway at the European Championships in England. She had to tremble for appearances throughout the finals because of her injured knee, and finally had to pass the 0-2 draw against Germany in the quarter-finals. Before the European Championships, she had officially left her future open, but now she has drawn a line. Most recently, Schnaderbeck played for Arsenal and Tottenham in England.
“Today is not an easy day, it is an emotional day,” said a moved Schnaderbeck at the beginning of her personal statement. “The decision matured in me a long time ago, but in the end I made it at the end of the season. My gut just told me it was the right time. I always wanted to walk independently. I also went beyond my limits, also at the European Championship. There couldn’t have been a nicer conclusion, namely on the highest stage. I can look back on a great 15 years and am very grateful.” Schnaderbeck and Makas bid farewell in Wiener Neustadt in the World Cup qualifier against European champions England (September 3).
Makas follows Schnaderbeck in “Pension”
Makas also leaves the football stage with the central defender. Both were part of the team that sensationally made it into the semi-finals of the European Championship in 2017 in the Netherlands and made it into the knockout phase again five years later. Like defender Schnaderbeck, the striker had to struggle with injuries again and again. Makas, who has 74 caps and 19 goals, was last active at club level for Austria Wien.
“It was a very special time, I was able to spend 25 years actively in football. It means a lot to me that despite all my injuries, I can announce my retirement as a fit player. There were many difficult moments, but I was never alone. Of course it makes me sad when I can no longer do what means a lot to me. But I’m also grateful for the moments from which I was able to learn a lot and which made my personality stronger,” said Makas, who scored the important goal in the 1-1 draw against France at the 2017 European Championship.
Acknowledgments by Fuhrmann and Milletich
At the press conference, team boss Irene Fuhrmann and ÖFB President Gerhard Milletich paid tribute to the two successful careers. “It was an absolute privilege for me to be able to walk part of the way with two such personalities. Viki and Lisa have been two pillars of our success in recent years, and I hope that your voices for women’s football, but also for equal opportunities and diversity, will not be silenced,” said Fuhrmann, also moved.
“You two have done a lot for women’s football, I can only congratulate you on that. You are role models, have overcome many injuries and were always ready to give everything. Mentality and willpower have always distinguished you,” said Milletich.
German and English champion
Schnaderbeck was one of the best-known faces for many years and above all the voice of the Austrian national team, who repeatedly addressed topics off the pitch. She started her career on the field at TSV Kirchberg/Raab and made her way via the state training center in Weiz and the GAK to LUV Graz, from where she went to Bayern Munich in 2007. There she became champion in 2015 and 2016, in 2018 she moved to England to Arsenal, where she became English champion right away.
“It wasn’t always easy. At the age of 17, an injury threatened to end my career for the first time. From then on I thought that nothing should be taken for granted, that I wanted to enjoy everything. I managed that quite well,” said Schnaderbeck.
Decision made before EM
Most recently, she was loaned to Tottenham for six months, but her knee problems kept troubling her. In an interview with ORF.at, she left her future and a possible career end open before the EM: “If my heart and my body say yes, I’ll continue. It’s important to ask yourself this question after the EM.” At that point, she had made the decision, but she didn’t want to “shift the public focus ahead of the EM”.
Schnaderbeck is equipped as a lecturer or consultant for a career after football, the articulate Styrian has a degree in business psychology. In December 2019, the Styrian came out as the first Austrian team player when she posted a photo with her current fiancé on Instagram. She will be traveling to Asia with her in the fall. “I’m looking forward to it and after that I’m really keen to get started outside of football.”
Makas takes over agendas at Austria
Makas goes to the footballers’ pension with Schnaderbeck. The 30-year-old from Lower Austria played for SKV Altenmarkt and SKN St. Pölten before she also went to Germany. The two-time Austrian champion played for SC Freiburg, MSV Duisburg before returning to St. Pölten in 2020. She made her ÖFB debut on June 9, 2010 in a 6-0 win over Malta, most recently as a substitute in the quarter-finals of the European Championship. In the future she will also take on administrative tasks as an official of Wiener Austria.
