Real Madrid defender considering retirement after yet another injury blow – report | OneFootball

Real Madrid defender Ferland Mendy is considering an early retirement from professional football following a devastating medical prognosis, reports journalist Ramon Alvarez.

This comes after the grim update on his latest injury. What was initially feared to be a months-long absence after he undergoes surgery has escalated into something much more serious.

Mendy considers retirement

According to reports earlier today, Mendy has been diagnosed with a severe tear of the rectus femoris tendon in his right leg, complicated by bone separation, which could keep him out for at least a year.

This diagnosis is significantly more grave than the club’s initial evaluation following Mendy’s early substitution during the 14th minute of Madrid’s 2-0 win over Espanyol on 3 May.

The injury occurred in the same leg that required surgery in April 2025, a procedure that previously sidelined him for six months.

Considering retirement? (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

The latest reports indicate that Mendy will be out of action for at least a year, effectively ending his 2025/26 campaign and ruling him out for nearly the entire 2026/27 season.

Given his extensive history of over 20 significant injuries since joining Real Madrid in 2019, which have caused him to miss more than 120 matches, the player is now seriously weighing the option of retirement if his surgery and subsequent rehabilitation do not show favourable progress.

The news adds to a mounting fitness crisis at the Santiago Bernabeu, where the medical department has recorded 120 injuries over the last two seasons.

With Mendy’s contract reportedly running until 2028, his long-term future at the elite level remains highly uncertain.