Freiburg announced on its official website on Tuesday that its German defender Manuel Gulde will retire after the end of this season.

According to Freiburg's official statement, Gulde has not been able to play for the team recently due to a recurring back injury. Since the injury cannot be cured, Gulde has no choice but to retire after the doctor's advice, ending his 15-year professional football career.

After the news of his retirement was confirmed, Gulde, who was interviewed by Freiburg's official website again, said: "I already knew the bad news since November last year, and I made a decision quickly in the end."

"This year has been very challenging for me. I didn't play in any games, but I can look back on my career with pride and look back on how I overcame challenges and injuries. It's not easy to play for a club like this for nine years, but now I look forward to a new chapter in my life."

About Manuel Gulde

Gulde, 34, was born on February 12, 1991 in Mannheim, Germany. He is 1.84 meters tall and plays as a center back.

Gulde joined Hoffenheim's youth academy at a young age, and completed his Hoffenheim first-team debut by coming on as a substitute in January 2010.

In July 2012, Gulde moved to Paderborn as a free agent.

In July of the following year, Gulde joined Karlsruhe for €300,000.

During his three-year spell at Karlsruhe, Gulde attracted the attention of many small and medium-sized Bundesliga clubs with his outstanding performances.

In July 2016, Gulde joined Freiburg for €1 million.

During his nine-year spell with Breisgau-Brasilianer, Gulde played 183 times in all competitions for the Bundesliga club, scoring 7 goals and assisting 1 time.