Exclusive: Sobiech Retires After Stellies Stint

German defender Lasse Sobiech has opted to hang up his boots after a career that spanned over 17 years and ended at Stellenbosch FC.

The 32-year-old joined Stellies at the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign on a two-year-deal from Bundesliga second division side Darmstadt 98.

However, he only made seven appearances for the Winelands side, as injuries troubled him throughout the season.

“I have decided to hang up my boots after an exciting season at a very professional club in Stellenbosch. I’m looking forward what comes next,” Sobiech told iDiski Times exclusively.

The towering defender arrived in South Africa with an ocean of experience after coming through Borussia Dortmund’s youth academy and being part of the BVB squad which won the Bundesliga title in 2010/11 under Jurgen Klopp.

At the time, though, the former Germany youth international struggled to get past world-class centre-back duo, Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic, and he eventually left BVB to gain Bundesliga experience with Hamburger SV and Greuther Fuerth.

He’s also had several stints in Germany’s second tier, helping Cologne to gain promotion into the German top tier in 2018/19. After loan stints in Belgium and Switzerland, Sobiech decided to take his career to the DStv Premiership, joining Stellenbosch ahead of the 2022/23 campaign. 

He has now called it quits on his playing career and we wish him all the best in his retirement.

Story by David Kappel (@kappilinho).