Freund expanded on Alaba’s and Ralf Ragnicks value to Austrian football and why Alaba remains so influential even during long injury spells in his conversation with Sky Sports. Austria have qualified for next year's World Cup after a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina, making a return after 28 years.
“Bayern fans know David and how important he was for the team. Off the pitch, he’s a really good guy who does a lot of integration work both on and off the field. The last few months and a year and a half haven’t been easy for him because he’s been injured a lot. But he’s always been there, even at the European Championship, supporting the team from the bench. He’s an important contact person for the coach, for this team, for the captain. He’s currently a very important factor as a player-coach,” said Freund.
Alaba's contract with Los Blancos expires in 2026. The club management is open to negotiating his departure if a suitable offer arrives, especially from teams in Saudi Arabia, as they aim to refresh the defensive lineup and free up salary space.
He also spoke on former coach Ragnick and Austria's qualification: "Austria hadn't been there for 28 years, so it's something special. The whole country was eagerly anticipating it. The team deserved it. They're playing fantastic football and have great energy. Ralf is doing a really good job. It was close at the end, but all the more emotional for it. All of Austria was in a state of euphoria. A really cool story. I'm personally happy for everyone involved because I know many of them. It's a really good story and it's good for Austrian football."