Former Chelsea ace Leupolz announces retirement | OneFootball

Former Chelsea midfielder Melanie Leupolz has announced her retirement from playing professional football at the age of 31.

The German international announced her news via a post on her personal Instagram account this morning.

Leupolz has enjoyed a 15-year senior playing career that started out with German club SC Freiburg in 2010. The midfielder then went on to feature for Bayern Munich and Chelsea before ending her career in Spain with Real Madrid.

On the international stage, Leupolz collected 79 senior caps for the German national team and scored 13 goals.

Leupolz’s four-year spell with Chelsea will go down as her most memorable period in the game. She won nine domestic trophies with The Blues including four consecutive Barclays Women’s Super League titles. Leupolz also celebrated the birth of her son in her time with the club.

With the 2024/2025 season having come to a close, Leupolz has determined it to be the right time to retire and focus on other aspects of her life.

Announcing her retirement, Leupolz said “After many intense and emotional years in professional football, I have made a difficult decision to retire this summer. It hasn’t been an easy decision; football has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I fell in love with the game when I was a little girl and it soon became my passion.

“I’ve had the privilege to play at the highest level for many years, representing amazing clubs alongside my country, winning many titles, creating unforgettable memories and meeting incredible people along the way.

“Thank you to everyone who was a part of this journey. Thank you football.”

Leupolz’s final season in professional football came to a premature end as a result of a knee injury.