Jerome Boateng pulls career ends: A master goes on board!

Jerome Boateng pulls career ends: A master goes on board!

Jerome Boateng announced the end of his impressive football career on Friday evening. The 37-year-old announced via an Instagram story that he was ending his active career after almost 19 years. Boateng, who won the World Cup with the German national team in 2014, can look back on an eventful career that has made him one of the most famous defenders in the world. His decision comes after various setbacks in recent years, including a split from his last club, Linzer ASK, after just nine games.

The Berlin native played for some of Europe's biggest clubs, including Tennis Borussia, Hertha BSC, Hamburger SV, Manchester City and particularly successfully at FC Bayern Munich, where he won the UEFA Champions League twice in both 2013 and 2020. Boateng has won a total of nine German championship titles and won the FA Cup with Manchester City in 2011.

Career and successes

Boateng started his professional career in 2006 and quickly became an integral part of the German national team. Between 2009 and 2018 he played 76 international matches, in which he not only celebrated numerous successes, but also had to overcome personal challenges. His career was marked by a fruitful partnership with Mats Hummels in defense, which achieved notoriety far beyond the national level.

However, his last years in professional football were difficult. After a farewell to Bayern Munich in 2021, he switched to Olympique Lyon, where he was on the pitch in 32 games before moving to the US Salernitana in Italy, where he only played 7 games. The last attempt to continue his career at LASK in Austria also disappointed.

Personal challenges

Boateng has also been faced with legal problems in recent years. In 2024 he was convicted of intentional bodily harm to the mother of his children. He was also the focus of investigations into assault on his former partner, who were employed, however. Such incidents shed light on the loads that professional athletes are often exposed to. According to a study, a third of all professional footballers suffer from psychological stress, which is reinforced by the pressure to perform and the constant public assessment.

Ex-international via Mertesacker and other professionals report on psychological challenges that had far-reaching consequences for their careers. Psychological support is considered crucial, but only a few clubs offer permanent help, which Robin Gosens criticizes as inadequate.

Boateng, who was also known for his success in the past, is now planning his time after the player career and has already acquired the B license as a football coach. This decision shows that despite the difficulties he lives through, he wants to look ahead.

The football world is saying goodbye to one of its big names, a player who made headlines both on the square and next to the field. His withdrawal is not only the end of an era for Boateng, but also a moment of reflection on the challenges and pressure in professional sports.

For more information about Jerome Boateng's career and the challenges of professional football, you can read the articles from OE24, World and the analysis of ZDF read.