International Career
Scharner started playing for Austria at the under-21 level, debuting against Spain in 2000. He played a total of twelve matches on that level, scoring no goals.
Scharner debuted for the Austrian national football team in a 0:0 against Cameroon on 17 April 2002. He played the qualification round for the 2006 FIFA World Cup but Austria failed to qualify. Scharner retired in August 2006 after a 2-1 defeat to Hungary, criticising "unprofessional structures" within the ÖFB. Coach Josef Hickersberger banned him from the team and stated that he will never play for Austria as long as he manages it. He tried to make a comeback in 2008, when Austria co-hosted the 2008 UEFA European Championship but Hickersberger remained hard, not picking him. After Hickersberger was replaced, his successor Karel Brückner started nominating him again after the tournament and he was even promoted to team captain from 2009 to 2010. After then-coach Dietmar Constantini was fired, he tried to become player-coach but this was rejected. In August 2012 he was banned from the team permanently after leaving the team hotel when coach Marcel Koller refused to give him a leading role in the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification. The chairmanship of the ÖFB has stated that he will never play for Austria again, no matter who coaches it. He played a total of 40 matches, scoring no goals.
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