SC Freiburg midfielder Nicolas Höfler will retire from professional football at the end of the current season, the club announced on Wednesday. The 36-year-old will remain with the Bundesliga side in a yet-to-be-determined role, according to SWR.
Höfler has spent 21 years with Freiburg, making 381 appearances for the first team and scoring 11 goals. The club confirmed the decision via a video released on Wednesday, with Höfler stating he was ready to begin a “new chapter” after a long and fulfilling career.
For many years, Höfler was a key player under former head coach Christian Streich, consistently featuring in the starting eleven. However, his playing time diminished under Streich’s successor, Julian Schuster, who previously played alongside Höfler. Despite reduced minutes recently, Höfler expressed gratitude for his time on the pitch, describing it as “a great time with many beautiful, emotional moments.”
The specifics of Höfler’s future role within the club will be revealed in the coming weeks. Freiburg still have two important fixtures remaining this month: a Bundesliga match against RB Leipzig on Saturday and the Europa League final against Aston Villa in Istanbul next Wednesday. The Europa League final will be the last match of his playing career.
Höfler’s departure marks the end of an era for Freiburg, with the veteran midfielder having been a consistent presence in the team for over a decade. His continued involvement with the club, albeit in a different capacity, should provide stability and continuity as Freiburg navigates the future.
