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.
“In that moment, I really thought: ‘It’s torn’,” he added.
“When I went for the MRI the next day and received the good news [that it was not a cruciate ligament tear], it was 1,000% clear to me that it was over.
“I couldn’t imagine anything worse than actually looking forward to the time afterward – being independent, going on vacation, spending time with my children – but then having to process my third cruciate ligament tear,” he said.
Süle will remain under contract with Borussia Dortmund until 30 June, after which he will officially step away from the game.
During his career, he won five Bundesliga titles with FC Bayern Munich and was part of the squad that lifted the 2020 UEFA Champions League.
At international level, he earned 49 caps for Germany, representing his country at two World Cups and winning the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.
His retirement marks an early end to a career that promised even more at its peak but was ultimately shaped by injuries and difficult comebacks.
