Loris Karius has revealed he considered himself retired after leaving Liverpool in 2021, but the German goalkeeper is now enjoying a remarkable revival at Schalke 04. The 30-year-old, who was released by Liverpool at 28, told The Independent: 'I was retired because I didn't do anything for seven months. In my mind, I was pretty much retired.'
Karius's career spiralled after his infamous performance in the 2018 Champions League final, where two errors handed Real Madrid victory. He later discovered he had been playing with a concussion. Despite assurances from manager Jurgen Klopp that he would remain first choice, Liverpool signed Alisson Becker that summer without informing Karius. 'I just read it in the news,' he recalled.
Forced to find a new club late in the transfer window, Karius joined Besiktas on loan, but the hostile environment in Turkey damaged his confidence. A subsequent loan to Union Berlin offered little game time, and after his Liverpool contract expired, he spent seven months without a club.
Karius joined Schalke in 2022, but a serious injury limited him to just four appearances in his first season. Now fully fit, he has helped transform the club from relegation candidates to leaders of the 2. Bundesliga, with the best defensive record in the league, conceding only 10 goals in 18 games.
'There's been times when the confidence was lower – now the confidence is obviously really high,' Karius said. His resurgence has been embraced by Schalke's passionate fanbase, as both player and club seek to rebuild after dramatic falls from grace.
