Arsenal & Germany Defender Tabea Kemme Announces Retirement Due to Injury

Arsenal Women and Germany defender Tabea Kemme has chosen to retire from football at the age of just 28 as a result of ongoing injury.


Kemme underwent knee surgery in August, having already been blighted by injury since joining the Gunners in the summer of 2018. Indeed, the former Turbine Potsdam star had suffered a meniscus tear before she joined Arsenal and has only sparingly played for the club.

The Gunners confirmed at the time that the surgery in August had been a success, but Kemme has sadly been unable to shake off the problem and has opted to hang up her boots.

A statement from the club read, “Tabea has been a valued teammate and was an important influence behind the scenes throughout our [2018/19] Barclays Women’s Super League title-winning season. Everyone at the club wishes Tabea the best in her future endeavours.”

Prior to joining Arsenal, Kemme spent a decade with German giants Turbine Potsdam, where she was a four-time Frauen Bundesliga winner, as well as a Champions League winner.

Having won the Under-17 European Championship and Under-20 World Cup at junior international level, Kemme made her senior bow for Germany in 2013 and went on to play 47 times for her country by 2018, before suffering the first major injury that led to her retirement.

Kemme played for Germany at the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada, finishing fourth. She was also part of the squad at Euro 2017, as well as winning an Olympic gold medal in 2016 when Germany became only the third country after United States and Norway to do so.

Kemme leaves an Arsenal side that is currently top of the Women’s Super League just past the halfway stage of the season as they look to retain the title they won last year.


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Source : 90min