After months of preparation, Sebastian Rode (33) is finally hanging up his boots and retiring from professional football. The former Eintracht Frankfurt captain’s career, consisting of 16 years and 388 games, has come to an end. Rode made two brief appearances after his farewell match against Leipzig (2:2) in friendly games against Alsbach (11:0) and Germania (13:1), before ultimately calling it a day.
With no more matches, training sessions, or rehabilitation on the agenda, Rode now has other things planned for his fresh start in football retirement. The football legend shared, “There are a few things to do around the house, so I have plenty of time now. I’m looking forward to taking the kids to kindergarten and picking up some items from the training ground. So, I have plenty to keep me busy. We’ll see for how long.”
While enjoying family time and embarking on new activities like golfing and mountain biking, Rode also marked June 1st in his calendar for a special reason. “I know what I’ll be doing on June 1st. I’m a big BVB fan,” said the Eintracht legend. Notably, a win for Rode’s former club in the Champions League final against Real Madrid could catapult Frankfurt into the prestigious competition. Reflecting on his farewell at Eintracht, Rode expresses being overwhelmed by the numerous messages of support received, making his departure a sweet memory to cherish.