If this does prove to be the end, Schmeichel will walk away with one of the most respected resumes in modern goalkeeping. He was the bedrock of the Leicester City side that completed the ultimate underdog story by winning the Premier League in 2015-16, and added an FA Cup winner’s medal to his collection five years later. Since leaving the King Power Stadium, he has enjoyed spells at Nice and Anderlecht before moving to Glasgow to join Martin O’Neill’s Celtic in 2024.
Schmeichel is scheduled for his first operation this Friday, marking the beginning of a long and difficult journey back to fitness. While the odds are stacked against a player of his age returning from such a comprehensive injury, he is refusing to give up on the hope of one final chapter between the sticks. “I’m going to give it absolutely everything I can to see if I can get back. It would be probably one of the greatest feats of my career if I could get back from an injury like this. I’m going to fight, I’m going to try everything I can,” he concluded.