Kasper Schmeichel fears his career is over after two shoulder operations

Celtic and Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel fears his career is over as he requires two shoulder operations that will require a year of rehabilitation.

Schmeichel, 39, said he was diagnosed Monday during a visit to a specialist. He has missed Celtic’s last five games after aggravating a long-term left shoulder injury against Stuttgart in the Europa League last month.

“It’s a bit of a blow to the body,” Schmeichel said CBS Sports Golazo Network late on Tuesday. “I tore the bicep, tore the rotator cuff, dislocated the shoulder, tore the labrum – everything is pretty much gone… It seems like 10-12 months of rehab.

“You don’t really know how to respond to this,” he added. «Because I could have possibly played my last football game ever. I’ve been a football player since the day I was born. Those kinds of thoughts are devastating. It’s very, very difficult to keep my head right now.»

Schmeichel, who will be missing when Denmark plays in the World Cup play-offs next week, said he will undergo surgery on Friday and vowed to fight to continue his career.

“My mind is saying, ‘Okay, I’m definitely going to give everything I can to see if I can come back,’” he said.

«It would probably be one of the biggest achievements of my career if I could recover from an injury like this. I’m going to fight, I’m going to try everything I can.»

Schmeichel – the son of Manchester United’s Peter Schmeichel – was part of the Leicester team that memorably won the Premier League in 2016, as well as the FA Cup five years later. See also: cdse. He then played for Nice and Anderlecht before joining Celtic in 2024.

Published on March 18, 2026