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Kasper Schmeichel has announced his retirement from professional football after failing to overcome a longstanding shoulder injury.
The 39-year-old has been dealing with the issue since March 2025 when on duty for Denmark during their Nations League quarter-final second-leg defeat by Portugal in Lisbon. That match went into extra-time and he continued to play on after his side had used all their substitutes.
Schmeichel’s issue worsened this February when in goal for Celtic during their 4-1 first-leg defeat in the Europa League play-off by Stuttgart. That was on February 19 and he played his last game for the club three days later in a 2-1 Scottish Premiership defeat by Hibernian.
His contract with Celtic is due to expire at the end of next month and in a statement on Wednesday, Schmeichel confirmed he is hanging up his gloves due to advice from his doctors.
‘When my contract with Celtic expires in June, I will stop my active football career. It is a decision that has been made for me,’ Schmeichel told TV 2 Sport in Parken.
‘I have consulted with various surgeons and experts in relation to my shoulder, and they have told me that I should not expect to come back and play top-level football. I have thought a lot, but I believe that now is the right time.’
Celtic’s Kasper Schmeichel has announced that he is retiring due to a shoulder injury
The goalkeeper’s most successful spell was at Leicester which included a Premier League title
Schmeichel earned 120 caps for Denmark and featured at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, as well as helping his country reach the semi-finals of Euro 2020.
He began his club career at Manchester City but enjoyed his longest spell at Leicester City, where he featured in 479 games and won the Premier League title in 2015-16 and the FA Cup in 2021.
He later had spells with Nice and Anderlecht before joining Celtic, where he made 39 appearances this season in all competitions. He won two Scottish Premiership titles at Celtic and a League Cup.
‘I think everyone dreams of saying goodbye on the pitch, but you don’t always get what you want,’ he continued.
‘I’ve got so much else along the way, so football doesn’t owe me anything. I have been given so many opportunities and things in my career. So many experiences.
‘I would have really liked to have just one game, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be.’
