Niklas Sule Announces Retirement at 30 After Injury-Plagued Career
 |
| Sule to hang up boots at end of season |
The 30-year-old said the fear of a third cruciate ligament tear and a recent knee injury at Hoffenheim led to his decision.
He joined Dortmund from Bayern Munich in 2022 and played 109 competitive matches for the club, scoring three goals...
Borussia Dortmund centre-back Niklas Sule has confirmed he will retire from professional football this summer, revealing the decision on the Spielmacher podcast with 360Media.
The 30-year-old former Germany international said his contract with Dortmund runs out on June 30 and that he intends to step away at that point. Sule is currently sidelined through injury but leaves behind a career of 299 Bundesliga appearances and 49 caps for Germany.
Sule said the idea of retiring had been on his mind for a while, but the knee injury he picked up in mid-April at former club TSG Hoffenheim was the moment he made it final.
The defender moved to Dortmund from Bayern Munich in 2022 and has gone on to make 109 appearances for BVB across all competitions, scoring three goals in that time.
“My Health Matters Most”
“What I felt when our doctor did the drawer test in the dressing room at Hoffenheim, looked at the physio and shook his head, then the physio did it too and also didn't feel a stop, I went into the shower and cried for 10 minutes,” Sule said.
The prospect of a third cruciate ligament rupture was a major factor in his decision. Once the MRI came back clear, Sule said it became “1000 per cent clear” to him that his career was finished.
One of the defining memories of his time at Dortmund was the agonizing near-miss in the 2022/23 title race. “That was one of the most intense moments I’ve ever experienced, right before the Mainz game,” he recalled of the final day.
The following season brought a different high, with Sule playing a role as Dortmund made it all the way to the Champions League final.
Niklas Süle has announced his retirement from professional football after the 2025/26 season. 🥲
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) May 7, 2026
All the best for your future, Niki! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/B7FMt4yRzR
No comments:
Leave comment here