Süle to retire from football at 30

 

Borussia Dortmund defender Niklas Süle has confirmed he will retire from professional football at the end of the season, bringing his career to a close at the age of 30.

The Germany national football team international decided following a knee injury suffered in last month’s Bundesliga match against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

Süle initially feared he had suffered a third anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, an injury that has already disrupted his career in the past. Although medical tests later confirmed he had avoided an ACL tear, the defender said the scare changed his outlook on continuing in the sport.

Speaking on the Spielmacher podcast on Wednesday, Süle revealed he was overcome with emotion after the initial diagnosis, saying he “went into the shower and cried for 10 minutes” as he believed the worst had happened.

Even after receiving the more positive MRI results, Süle said he had already decided to retire, explaining that he could not face the possibility of another long rehabilitation period or further serious injury setbacks.