Germany and Dortmund defender Niklas Sule to retire in 2026

Germany international defender Niklas Sule will retire from professional football this summer at the age of 30.

Defender's career decision Borussia Dortmund's Niklas Sule has decided to bring his playing career to an end this summer at the age of 30. The Germany international suffered a knee injury during last month's Bundesliga match against Hoffenheim. Initially, he feared he had torn his anterior cruciate ligament for the third time in his career. Sule, who was set to leave Dortmund when his contract expired on June 30, will play his final match of the season before retiring. ## Reaction to injury news Following initial medical assessments of his knee, Sule shared on the Spielmacher podcast that he 'went into the shower and cried for 10 minutes' after suspecting the worst. He admitted, 'In that moment, I really thought: It's torn'. When an MRI scan the next day confirmed the ligament was intact, Sule said the relief was immediate. However, he revealed that the scare had already convinced him his career 'was over' as he did not wish to face another major injury. ## Career achievements Sule won five Bundesliga titles while playing for Bayern Munich, along with the Champions League in 2020. He transferred to Borussia Dortmund in 2022 and has made 49 appearances for the German national team. His international career included participation in two World Cups and contributing to Germany's Confederations Cup triumph in 2017. ## Personal reflections The defender explained that he could not bear the thought of recovering from a third cruciate ligament injury only to return to uncertainty. He stated, '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'.