Danish goalkeeper admits recent shoulder injury could limit his remaining playing days.
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The career of an elite goalkeeper is often a story of longevity, but the physical toll can be brutal and unforgiving. For Kasper Schmeichel, a Premier League-winning shot-stopper, that reality may have arrived in unexpected fashion. A shoulder injury, revealed on March 18, now threatens to bring a premature end to a career that has spanned more than two decades at the highest level of European football.
The 39-year-old Celtic number one faces a lengthy recovery after confirming the extent of the damage, which will require multiple operations and a lengthy period on the sidelines. In an interview with the Daily Mail, the Dane candidly confronted the possibility that his time between the sticks may be nearing its end.
Speaking to CBS Sports Golazo Network, Schmeichel detailed the extent of the damage. 'I'm going to need two surgeries now to fix my shoulder,' he revealed. 'It's a bit of a body blow. I've torn the bicep, torn the rotator cuff, dislocated the shoulder, torn the labrum, everything's kind of gone. It's looking like 10-12 months of rehab.'
The Denmark international had been playing through the pain barrier since first injuring his left shoulder on international duty last year. He aggravated the problem during Celtic's 4-1 Europa League defeat to Stuttgart last month and, after missing the subsequent five matches, received the definitive diagnosis from a specialist.
This timeline means the shot-stopper would be over the age of 40 before he could potentially return to full fitness - a formidable challenge for any player, let alone one in the most physically demanding of positions.
Schmeichel was a central figure in Leicester City’s fairytale 2015/16 Premier League title win and later lifted the FA Cup with the club, making over 400 appearances for the Foxes before spells with Nice and Anderlecht preceded his 2024 move to Celtic.
'You don't really know how to react to this. I could have potentially played my last ever football game," Schmeichel explained in an emotional interview with the Mail. 'I've been a footballer since the day I was born. That kind of thought is devastating. It's very, very hard to wrap my head around at the moment.'
His last appearance came in a 2-1 loss to Hibernian, with Finland international Viljami Sinisalo deputising since.
'My mind is like, "OK, I'm going to give it absolutely everything I can to see if I can get back",' he said.
'It would be probably one of the greatest feats of my career if I could get back from an injury like this. I'm going to fight, I'm going to try everything I can.'
