Kevin Volland Retires from Professional Football to Play Amateur Game

Kevin Volland has announced his retirement from professional football but is not hanging up his boots just yet. The former German national team striker will no longer participate in "big football" after 16 seasons, opting instead to play at the amateur level with Thalhofen, his hometown club, where he will reunite with his brother Robin among others. The announcement was made through a video posted by the club on its social media channels.

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"At some point, you have to make a decision that is personally not easy. The time to retire arrives, and that is what is happening to me. Thank you for these 16 extraordinary years; it has been a privilege. I will miss it immensely," Volland expressed. He explained that his decision was also influenced by a challenging year with 1860 Munich, which faced forced relegation to Regionalliga and subsequent insolvency issues. "A lot has happened in the last year. At some point, the fun also diminished," he added.

Born in 1992, Volland concludes a high-level career that saw him shine in the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen, and Union Berlin, as well as in Ligue 1 with Monaco. He earned 15 caps and scored one goal for the German national team, participating in the 2017 Confederations Cup. Now, he embarks on a new phase, embracing football with a more relaxed approach alongside his family.