At 36 years old, eight-time consecutive overall World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher is officially back in the race. In a move that stunned the skiing world, the International Ski Federation (FIS) has cleared his return after a major knee injury—and granted him 17 unused wildcard starts to carry into the 2025–26 season.
Hirscher ended a five-year retirement late last year to begin competing for the Netherlands (his mother's homeland) rather than his native Austria. The switch provided a fresh competitive platform—and perhaps a smoother path back into the spotlight.
His comeback started strong, with a 23rd-place finish in the opener at Sölden, delivering points for the first time as a Dutch competitor. But fate intervened. During training at Reiteralm in December, Hirscher suffered a torn ACL, abruptly halting his return.
Now, six and a half months later, he has cleared every medical hurdle. In his own words, "More than a thousand hours of rehab, therapy and strength training in 197 days since my surgery … in the end, it comes down to two questions: What do I want from life? And what does life want from me? … Now call it a comeback.”
Thanks to the wildcard rule adopted by FIS in July 2024—allowing legendary former champions to return without meeting current ranking requirements—he didn’t just get his starting footprint back; he got it for free. FIS awarded him entries in 17 of the 20 World Cup races he missed last season.
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Hirscher’s return arrives with an added incentive: a potential route to the 2026 Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics. While making the Austrian team seems improbable, the Dutch team slots present a more accessible path.
What makes this comeback so compelling isn’t just that it’s historical—it’s personal. As he prepares for snow training in September, Hirscher has tied his motivations to both competitive spirit and his alpine gear brand, Van Deer. He’s driving development and performance simultaneously.
His legacy is beyond question: 67 World Cup race wins, 138 podiums, 11 World Championship medals, and two Olympic golds. Only a handful of athletes dominate across such dimensions.
This season, he's not alone. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, slalom discipline champion from 2023, also returns on a wildcard, this time representing Brazil. Together, they form a rare wave of elite comebacks foreshadowing what could be one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory.
Still, some voices consider his wildcard an unfair advantage. Critics argue that rules intended for fairness are being bent for one of the all-time greats. “This rule isn't fair play,” said skier Justin Murisier, questioning whether it undermines competitive equity.
Regardless of the debate, the standings are clear: Hirscher’s return is secured, his wildcard access is guaranteed, and the countdown to a comeback is on.