Kasper Schmeichel has revealed his illustrious football career could be over following a "devastating" diagnosis for a severe shoulder injury.
The Celtic goalkeeper faces a lengthy rehabilitation period of 10-12 months, requiring two surgeries to address the extensive damage.
Schmeichel, who has been playing through pain since injuring his left shoulder while on international duty for Denmark last year, aggravated the problem during a match against Stuttgart last month.
A visit to a specialist on Monday confirmed the extent of the injury, which has sidelined him for Celtic's last five matches.
Speaking to CBS Sports Golazo Network, the 39-year-old detailed the severity of the issue.
"I’m going to need two surgeries now to fix my shoulder," he explained. "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."
The prospect of retirement has deeply affected the veteran stopper.
"You don’t really know how to react to this. I could have potentially played my last ever football game. 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."
Schmeichel, son of Manchester United legend Peter, has enjoyed a distinguished career spanning over two decades.
He was a pivotal member of Leicester City's Premier League-winning side in 2016 and also lifted the FA Cup with the club five years later, before spells at Nice and Anderlecht, eventually joining Celtic in the summer of 2024.
Despite the grim prognosis, Schmeichel is determined to fight for his return. He is scheduled for his first surgery on Friday and has vowed to commit fully to the arduous recovery process.
"My mind is like, ‘OK, I’m going to give it absolutely everything I can to see if I can get back’," he stated.
"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."
