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Kevin Kampl Details Family Reasons for Early Retirement After RB Leipzig Farewell

He says a family crisis, from his brother's October death to his father's serious illness, forced a family-first decision.

Overview

  • Kampl, 35, announced on January 3 that he was ending his career and leaving RB Leipzig, a choice he says he and his wife reached in mid-November after deciding they needed to go home.
  • He revealed his brother Seki died in October of a heart attack and said he visits the grave every day as he continues to process the loss.
  • Kampl described his father's serious health problems, including heavy blood loss and prior strokes, noting his mother is now the primary caregiver after Seki's death.
  • Leipzig honored him before the home match against Bayern, capping a club tenure of 283 appearances with two DFB-Pokal titles (2022, 2023) and the 2023 Supercup; he played 270 Bundesliga matches overall.
  • He said he received supportive messages from former coaches, including Julian Nagelsmann, and plans to pursue coaching qualifications with hopes of returning to Leipzig in a new role.