In a surprising turn of events, former Rangers midfielder Vladimir Weiss has decided to retire from professional football at the age of 34. The Slovakian player, who most recently represented Slovan Bratislava, made the decision following consecutive heavy defeats in the Champions League, a stark reminder of the toll that top-tier competition can take on athletes.
Weiss faced a particularly tough time in Bratislava’s 5-1 loss to Celtic, where the home crowd at Celtic Park relentlessly mocked him throughout the match. Every touch of the ball was met with jeers, and sarcastic cheers echoed through the stadium when he was substituted in the 75th minute. The loss, however, was only the beginning of a tough couple of weeks for the Slovakian veteran.
Just two weeks later, Weiss and his team suffered another humiliating defeat, this time falling 4-0 to Manchester City. Despite his long association with football, this loss at the Etihad Stadium would mark his final professional appearance. Weiss’s father and manager, also named Vladimir, confirmed that his son had chosen to step away from the game earlier than planned. Initially set to retire in the summer of 2025, the two heavy European defeats seemingly accelerated his decision.
This isn’t the first time Weiss has made an abrupt decision regarding his career. In 2018, he dramatically quit international football after a disagreement during a Slovakia match, though he reversed this decision in 2022 and ended his international career with 77 caps. His playing days have taken him across the globe, with stints in major leagues, including England’s Premier League with Manchester City, La Liga, Serie A, and Greece’s Super League.
Weiss’s career also saw him spend a season on loan with Rangers during the 2010-11 campaign, where he contributed five goals in 23 matches, playing a key role in their Scottish Premiership title win. After a diverse career that also included a spell in Qatar, he returned to Slovakia in 2021 to play for Slovan Bratislava, closing the chapter on his football journey where it all began.