Former Liverpool and Cameroon defender Joel Matip has confirmed his retirement from professional football after battling injuries that have hampered his career.
The 33-year-old began his career with Schalke 04, where he played for seven years before joining Liverpool in 2016. He was one of the earliest signings during the start of Jürgen Klopp’s era at Liverpool and remained at the club for almost a decade.
After 201 appearances and multiple major honors with Liverpool, Matip left the club and became a free agent this summer.
Matip will be remembered at Liverpool primarily for helping the team secure a return to Champions League football and playing a key role in the run to glory in 2019—providing an assist for Divock Origi in the final against Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid.
He also won the UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, EFL Cup, Community Shield, and played in nine Premier League games during the 2019-20 season, when Klopp’s team emphatically ended the club’s 30-year wait to become English champions again.
