German international Melanie Leupolz has made the difficult decision to retire from professional football. Retirement had been on the horizon after she suffered an MCL injury in March 2025 during a Women’s Champions League match against Arsenal. Real Madrid stated, “We wish her and her whole family good luck in this new stage of her life.”
Melanie Leupolz Career Highlights
The midfielder retires at 31 with an impressive career at some of Europe’s top clubs and on the international stage. Leupolz signed her first senior contract with Freiburg in 2010, where she spent four seasons before moving to Bayern Munich in 2014.
At Bayern, she won the Frauen-Bundesliga in her first two seasons and consistently delivered standout performances before transferring to Chelsea in 2020. The German midfielder contributed to four trophy-laden seasons with the Blues. She signed for Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, having already retired from the German national team following the 2023 World Cup.
A look in Melanie Leupolz trophy cabinet
Euro Cup
Gold medalist at Rio Janeiro Olympics 2016
2 Frauen Bundesliga titles
4 WSL titles
3 FA Cup’s
1 League Cup.
Melanie Leupolz’s message
“Thank you, Real Madrid fans.
“Thank you for a very special year in my career. It has been a great honor to play for this great club. However, I feel the time has come to open a new chapter in my life. This summer, I have decided to end my career as a footballer. I hope I have left my mark on the club and contributed to making it one of the greatest teams in Europe. Real Madrid, I wish you all the best for the future. And my heart will always carry a little piece of you.”