Joel Matip: Former Liverpool star announces retirement

Former Liverpool defender Joel Matip has announced his retirement from football.

The 33-year-old left the Reds in the summer after his contract expired after eight years at Anfield, where he helped the team win the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

A statement published on Liverpool’s website on Saturday said: “Everyone at LFC wishes Joel and his family the best for the future.”

Matip was one of then-manager Jurgen Klopp’s first signings, who arrived at the club on a free transfer from Schalke and would go on to make 201 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions.

He played a key role in Liverpool’s most recent Champions League-winning campaign, assisting Divock Origi in the 2-0 victory over Tottenham in the 2019 final in Madrid.

The defender has also been involved in winning national cups with his appearances in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup finals in 2022.

Matip’s last game for Liverpool came last December after he was sidelined for the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Born in Germany, he represented Cameroon on the international stage, making 27 appearances and playing in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.