Champions League-winning defender now plays as goalkeeper for a non-league team after having to retire early
Niklas Sule, a former Champions League winner, has taken an unexpected turn in his football career and is now playing as a goalkeeper in Germany’s amateur leagues after deciding to retire early.
Earlier this year, Sule, who lifted the Champions League trophy with Bayern Munich, announced he would hang up his boots at the end of the 2025/26 season at just 30 years old. Knee injuries have been a constant challenge for him, and while he’s stepping back from professional football, he’s still enjoying the game by playing as a goalkeeper for a local non-league team in Germany.
Sule started his senior career at Hoffenheim before making a big move to Bayern Munich in 2017. There, he won five Bundesliga titles, two German Cups, and the 2020 Champions League. In 2022, he joined Borussia Dortmund but retired this summer because of his injury problems, having made 300 Bundesliga appearances in total.
He also represented Germany 49 times, playing in two World Cups and Euro 2020. In May, after injuring his knee in a match against his former club Hoffenheim, Sule confirmed that he would retire at the end of the season.
But now, he’s taken a new path by joining amateur team SV Tiefenbach—not as a defender, but as a goalkeeper! Standing tall at 6ft 5in, Sule stepped in to guard the net after the club’s regular keeper got injured. A video shared online shows him making some great saves.
Sule has already played two games in goal, losing the first 2-1 but helping the team win 3-2 in his second match. After a short break following his Dortmund contract ending, he signed with SV Tiefenbach in July.
He shared how excited he is to enjoy football in a simpler way: “I’m really looking forward to seeing football from a different angle—just playing for fun, without the pressure of money or business. Plus, two of my best friends play here, and one is even a coach. After 13 years as a pro, it feels amazing to be on the pitch with friends and just enjoy the game again. And my local golf club is right here in Tiefenbach, so it all feels like home.”
His new coach, Jason Walzel, told the media that Sule seems to be really enjoying playing more offensively. “He was with us on Saturday, then again on Thursday and Friday. None of us expected he’d end up playing in the Kreisliga, but the team loves having him here. He’s a great guy.”
SV Tiefenbach competes in Germany’s Kreisliga, which is about the 11th level in the country’s football system. It’s clear that Sule is embracing this fresh chapter with joy and passion.