May 27 (Reuters) - Denmark and Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel announced his retirement from professional football on Wednesday after failing to recover fully from a serious shoulder injury.
The 39-year-old Dane suffered the injury during Denmark's Nations League quarter-final defeat by Portugal in March 2025, continuing to play after his side had used all their substitutes.
The issue then worsened in Celtic's Europa League loss to Stuttgart in February. His last game for the club was a 2-1 Scottish Premiership defeat by Hibernian on February 22 and his contract is due to end next month.
"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."
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 said.
"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."
(Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in BengaluruEditing by Christian Radnedge)
