Kasper Schmeichel retires from professional football

Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has officially announced his retirement from professional football. The 39-year-old cited a serious shoulder injury as the reason for hanging up his gloves, with his contract at Celtic set to expire in June.

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When my contract with Celtic ends in June, I will stop my active football career. This is a decision I have ultimately made.

Schmeichel revealed his decision to TV 2 Sport, stating, "When my contract with Celtic ends in June, I will stop my active football career. This is a decision I have ultimately made." He explained that he had consulted with various experts before making the choice, believing it was the right time to retire.

The injury occurred during Denmark's UEFA Nations League quarter-final loss to Portugal in March 2025. Despite the injury, Schmeichel continued playing as Denmark had used all its substitutions. His condition worsened after playing in Celtic's Europa League defeat to Stuttgart in February. His final match for Celtic was a 1-2 loss to Hibernian on February 22.

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I have thought a lot about it, and I believe now is the right time to retire.

Schmeichel leaves the game with an impressive international record, having earned 120 caps for Denmark. He represented his country at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and was part of the team that reached the Euro 2020 semifinals. His club career, which began at Manchester City, peaked at Leicester City, where he made 479 appearances and was instrumental in their shock 2015/16 Premier League title triumph and their 2021 FA Cup win. After leaving Leicester, he had spells at Nice and Anderlecht before joining Celtic, where he made 39 appearances this season, helping them secure two Scottish Premiership titles and one Scottish League Cup.

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