Schalke's Loris Karius: 'I thought about ending my career'
Loris Karius has opened up about the darkest period of his career as he prepares for a Bundesliga return with Schalke after helping the Ruhr club end a three-year absence from Germany's top flight.
Karius's career changed dramatically after Liverpool's 2017/18 UEFA Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in Kyiv, when two costly errors contributed to a 3-1 loss. The German goalkeeper's mistakes allowed Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale to score, leaving him facing intense criticism as Jürgen Klopp's side missed out on a sixth European Cup.
Liverpool responded by winning the Champions League the following season, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in Madrid, but Karius was no longer part of the squad after moving to Beşiktaş on loan in search of a fresh start.
Reflecting on the aftermath of that night, Karius admitted the impact went far beyond football. "Up to that point my career had only been going steeply upwards, then I suddenly crashed hard – all the way down to the bottom," he told the Funke Media Group.
The former Germany U21 international revealed that he had lost his joy for football to the point of considering retirement. He sought support from a mental health coach, but the sessions did not help him overcome his struggles. "I even thought about ending my career, but I was only 25 years old and could not just stay at home. Over the years, I somehow managed to fight my way out of this low on my own."
After spells with Union Berlin and Newcastle United, Karius was without a club before joining Schalke in January 2025. The 33-year-old's performances helped the club secure promotion back to the Bundesliga as champions in 2025/26, with the Royal Blues boasting the second tier's meanest defence.
Now preparing to dine at Germany's top table once more, Karius says he has rediscovered his enjoyment of football and embraced the unique atmosphere at Schalke. "Who else can say they play in front of 60,000 fans every other week?" he commented. "[Away from sport] only absolute superstars from the music business can do that."
Schalke begin the new Bundesliga season away to Augsburg on 30 August, before welcoming defending champions Bayern Munich to the Veltins-Arena in their first home game of the campaign.
