Loris Karius was set to end his playing career in 2021. After leaving Liverpool, the then 28-year-old was left without a club and did not play for seven months.
"I was retired. It sounds dramatic. In my head I was practically retired," Karius said.
However, the German goalkeeper is now writing a new story at Schalke 04, a club in the German second division with whom he shares the goal of returning to the big stage after a difficult period, writes The Independent.
In his 12 months in Gelsenkirchen, Karius has helped transform a club that was struggling to stay in the second division last season into a team that is currently top of the Second Bundesliga. He leads the league's best defence, conceding just 10 goals in 18 games, and is revered by one of the most passionate fans in Europe.
"There was a time when confidence was lower - now confidence is definitely very high," Karius points out. His comeback is a testament to mental strength given how badly things have deteriorated since the 2018 Champions League final in Kiev.
Leaving Liverpool
That game was a turning point in his Liverpool career, although he only found out about it later. It was determined that he had suffered a concussion during the final. "The talk was that I would start again in the new season," Karius reveals of discussions with then-manager Jurgen Klopp.
Karius, then 24, was the first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Simon Mignolet and believed the club would not let his development be put on hold because of one bad night. However, in mid-July, Liverpool signed Alisson Becker, making him the world's most expensive goalkeeper at the time. Karius found himself replaced without any warning.
"I was a bit taken aback. I just read it on the news. Nobody had told me they were bringing in reinforcements or had spoken to me before, but I guess that's football. When I asked why nobody had informed me, they said they can't inform 30 players every time we sign a player in their position."
"There's no animosity or anything like that. Alisson has done a fantastic job so far, he's a great goalkeeper. But if they had planned it from the beginning, maybe someone could have informed me a little earlier," the German recalled.
Difficult loans
Alisson's arrival prompted Karius to urgently look for a new club at the end of the transfer window. "My options were a bit limited. Obviously in August most good teams already have a goalkeeper and have finished planning."
He accepted the offer from Besiktas, but admits the decision was hasty and wrong. The environment in Turkish football, where he was exposed to harsh criticism, further damaged his self-confidence.
"I went on loan because I thought the new environment would maybe help me have a fresh start, but that environment ended up being very difficult," Karius said.
His two-year loan was cut short after he claimed the club had not paid his wages. He was then loaned out to Union Berlin, where he had no chance and was left without a club after his contract with Liverpool expired.
The opportunity at Wembley
During seven months away from football, he considered giving up his career.
"They weren't the worst months," he says with a smile. "I still enjoyed it. I spent a lot of time with my family, I traveled a lot, I did things that you wouldn't normally do. Of course, I was still eager to play football, but I didn't want to do anything that I wasn't 100 percent behind."
The opportunity was given to Newcastle United, where he arrived as third-choice goalkeeper. Although he made only two appearances in two years, one of those came in the 2023 Carabao Cup final against Manchester United. With Nick Pope suspended and Martin Dubravka unfit, Karius was in goal for the first time in almost two years.
Although Newcastle lost, Karius put in a good performance, which was seen as a personal redemption.
"It was definitely a sad day for everyone in Newcastle because it was the first final in a long time and we didn't win. But it was a really good experience. Even though we didn't win, it was a nice story - to go back there and play in another final," he added.
A new beginning at Schalke
The experience with Newcastle and his renewed confidence prepared him for what came next. He found a new lease of life at Schalke, and the club's return to the Bundesliga would be a momentous occasion for both him and the club.
"It would mean a lot to everyone - not just me - at this club that supports us every day in really bad and good times," he says of the possibility of promotion.
"Seeing all these people, the joy they have now watching us play, is really special. I'm trying to give them as many special moments as possible in the second half of the season. We'll see where it takes us, but ultimately that's my goal. It would be a really beautiful story," he concluded.
He is married to journalist Diletta Leotta.
Sports presenter Diletta Leotta (34) and Karius revealed in December that they were expecting their second child. They announced the news on social media with a sweet family photo.
Diletta and Loris' relationship began in October 2022 when they met at a dinner at a club in Paris during Fashion Week. The Italian later revealed that it was love at first sight.
"When he came in, I told the girls, 'The man of my life has just arrived,'" Diletta said. In 2023, they became parents to a daughter, Aria, who was born on Diletta's birthday, August 16. They married on June 22, 2024, on the Sicilian island of Vulcano. /Telegraph/
