SCHMEICHEL ENDS CAREER DUE TO SHOULDER INJURY

COPENHAGEN, MAY 27 /SRNA-Reuters/ - Denmark and Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has announced that he is ending his professional career after failing to fully recover from a shoulder injury.

He announced during a guest appearance on TV 2 Sport that he would retire in June, after his contract with Celtic expires.

"I have consulted various surgeons and experts regarding my shoulder and they have told me that I should not expect to return to professional football at the highest level. I have learned a lot and I believe that now is the right time," said Schmeichel /39/, who is the son of famous former Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.

Schmeichel stressed that every player wants to say goodbye to football on the pitch, "but you don't always get what you want".

"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," Schmeichel concluded.

Kasper Schmeichel was injured in a Nations League match against Portugal in March last year, but continued the match because the Danish coach had already made all the permitted substitutions at that point.

The situation worsened in a Europa League match between Celtic and Stuttgart in February this year.

Schmeichel played his last game for Celtic on February 22 against Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League.

He earned 120 caps for Denmark and was a member of Leicester City before joining Celtic. With Leicester, he won the Premier League title and the FA Cup.

Schmeichel began his career at Manchester City and has also played for Nice and Anderlecht.