Lukasz Fabianski announces his retirement from professional football aged 41 and gets set to take up a new role.
He has closed the chapter on his playing career, frustrated due to back problems, admitting he felt he hadn’t returned to a high enough level after the injury.
He made a total of 376 Premier League appearances tally, just missing out on 400 with his contract at West Ham expiring on June 30th.
Speaking in a 16 minute interview with sportowefakty, he said: “It’s a shame it didn’t work out. I was vocal at the club that this was my goal. You know how it is: when you reach 100, you want 200. When you have 200, you want 300. And so on.”
“I feel fulfilled”, Fabianski added.
He does have a plan for the future, to be a goalkeeping coach, but for now he is looking forward to helping young players gradually reach a high level of goalkeeping.
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OFFICIAL: Lukasz Fabianski has announced his retirement from football at the age of 41.
216 appearances
628 saves made
42 clean sheets in the Premier League
1 UECL title
Hammer of the Year (18/19)Thank you for everything and enjoy retirement, Fab! ❤️⚒️#WHUFC | #COYI ⚒️ pic.twitter.com/7EeJQ156iG
— West Ham Street ⚒️ (@WestHamStreet) July 25, 2026
He wrote via social media: “Some goodbyes are harder than others.
“Today is one of those days.
“After so many unforgettable years, the time has come for me to close the most beautiful chapter of my life. I have made the difficult decision to retire from football as a goalkeeper.
“For as long as I can remember, football has been my passion, my purpose, and my home.
“It has given me moments of pure joy, unforgettable victories, heartbreaking defeats, painful injuries, and challenges that tested me in every possible way. Every training session, every save, every mistake, every comeback and every match shaped not only the goalkeeper I became, but the person I am today.
“Standing between the posts taught me courage when I was afraid, humility when I succeeded, resilience when I failed, and belief when everything seemed impossible.
“To every coach who believed in me, every teammate who fought alongside me, every club that gave me the opportunity to wear its badge with pride, every supporter who stood behind me, and most importantly, my family – thank you.
“Thank you for believing in me even when I doubted myself. Thank you for every word of encouragement, every sacrifice, every celebration, and every difficult moment we overcame together. I could never have done this alone.
“Football has given me friendships that will last a lifetime, memories no one can ever take away, and values that will stay with me forever.
“But this is not goodbye.
“This is simply the beginning of a new journey.
“From today, my mission is to give back to the game that has given me everything. I want to inspire, develop, and support the next generation of goalkeepers, helping them believe in themselves and chase their dreams – just as I once chased mine.
“Because being a goalkeeper isn’t just a position.
“It’s a mindset.
“It’s a way of life.
“And it stays with you forever.
“Once a goalkeeper. Always a goalkeeper.
“Thank you, football.
“Thank you for everything.”
— Jarosław Koliński (@JareKolinski) July 25, 2026
FABIANSKI’S CAREER:
Youth career
1999–2000 – Polonia Słubice
2000–2001 – MSP Szamotuły
2001–2002 – Lubuszanin Drezdenko
2002–2003 – Sparta Brodnica
2003–2004 – Mieszko Gniezno
2004–2005 – Lech Poznań
Senior career
2004–2005 – Lech Poznań
2005–2007 – Legia Warsaw – 62 appearances
2007–2014 – Arsenal – 78 appearances
2014–2018 – Swansea City – 150 appearances
2018–2026 – West Ham United – 216 appearances
International career
2002 – Poland U17 – 3 appearances
2004 – Poland U19 – 3 appearances
2006 – Poland U20 – 1 appearances
2005 – Poland U21 – 6 appearances
2006–2021 – Poland – 57 appearances
Social media users gave their reaction as Lukasz Fabianski announces his retirement aged 41 and gets set to take up a new role…
@ameliascfc: lukasz fabianski, i will have love for you forever 🦢
@Bishy613: Hope Fabianski comes back as a coach. He’s been a great servant of the club, seems a genuinely nice bloke and would be a great asset to have around the youngsters
@hammer_seventy7: He will be back one day! Enjoy retirement, thank you for your loyalty ⚒️⚒️⚒️
@TonyHal39984051: Much loved by Swansea fans too😍 Happy retirement Lukasz and thanks for the memories.
@IrishIron32: Excellent goalkeeper over the years. Best in my lifetime. Happy retirement.
@theongarboy: Known as Flapianski at Arsenal but it’s not until you watch somebody week in, week out you appreciate how good they are. An underrated keeper, always very calm, made some fantastic saves over the years and a wonderful servant to the club. ⚒
@ryanlsmb861: What a goalkeeper on of the best Keepers in West Ham history enjoy your retirement Fabs.
@One_Bobby_Moore: I wasnt sure about him when he came. He absolutely turned my opinion around. My god did he dig us out the shit on a lot of occasions. Will forever remember him as a bloody good keeper and a top pro. Well earned retirement 👏👏👏👏
@charlieb_whu: One of my favourite West Ham players, was unbelievable for us ⚒️
@Gunners4win: Wishing him all the best in retirement, a genuinely long, respectable career in the Premier League. Good luck in whatever comes next.
Enjoy retirement Lukasz Fabianski we enjoyed your saves over time.
One of our greatest ever all time goalies confirmed in my mind. pic.twitter.com/NOxKyEzXpI
— ⚒️ on 𝕏 (@Hammer_On_X) July 25, 2026
Łukasz Fabiański officially calls time on an incredible career
A true professional and one of the finest goalkeepers to wear the claret and blue. Over seven years at West Ham, he was a model of consistency, producing countless match-winning saves and playing a huge part in the… pic.twitter.com/y6aRZOd6Sk
— Irons Watch ⚒️ (@IronsWatch) July 25, 2026
Is that all the club have to say after all these years with us?
2 sentences.Fab, has been right up there with the best keepers we’ve ever had, a genuinely superb keeper and a top bloke.
⚒️
— Dean Marsh™ (@deanrmarsh) July 25, 2026
🏰⚒️🫧🇵🇱🥅🧤 https://t.co/K7Oj624hNf pic.twitter.com/1OiOKYs3Ha
— Mick Clifford (@icwhs) July 25, 2026
Lukasz Fabianski has officially announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 41. 👋🇵🇱
Wishing you the best of luck in your next chapter, @LukaszFabianski! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/65NeStPWCX
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) July 25, 2026
Its goodbye from Fabianski for now at least. A great servant and professional to @WestHam wouldn’t be surprised if he returns as West Ham goalkeeping coach someday. Enjoy the rest the body doesnt recover so well after 40! pic.twitter.com/KbeZnSjYJB
— WHU_EastEndPride (@WHUEastEndPride) July 25, 2026
BREAKING: West Ham hero Lukasz Fabianski has announced his retirement from professional football.
One of the Hammers most loved men between the sticks hangs up his boots.
Enjoy retirement, Fab! ⚒️ pic.twitter.com/6yWmSaagrI
— Central (@WestHam_Central) July 25, 2026
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