Austrian-Egyptian football talent, Ziad El Sheiwi has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 22 following a heartbreaking series of injuries.
El Sheiwi confirmed his decision after enduring five anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and undergoing eight surgeries within just four years.
His injury nightmare began in December 2021 when he suffered his first right knee ACL tear during the early stages of his breakthrough with FK Austria Wien in the Vienna Derby.
After months of rehabilitation, hopes were high for his return, but tragedy struck again in September 2022 when he tore the ACL in his left knee during his long-awaited Bundesliga comeback match.
The setbacks continued in May 2023 as he suffered another ACL rupture during a team training session.
Between 2024 and 2026, El Sheiwi endured two more severe ligament injuries, leaving him with a total of four ACL tears in his left knee and one in his right.
In an emotional statement announcing his retirement, El Sheiwi reflected on the difficult decision to walk away from the game he loved.
“Sometimes it’s not your will that decides, but your body. I had five cruciate ligament tears and eight operations in just four years. Despite all the pain, setbacks, and difficult moments, I never stopped believing. But at some point, the moment comes when the body sets clear limits and that is exactly the moment I have to accept today.”
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Widely regarded as one of the brightest young prospects in Austrian football, El Sheiwi was eligible to represent both Austria and Egypt at international level.
His technical quality, intelligence on the ball, and maturity at a young age had marked him out as a player with enormous potential before injuries cruelly interrupted his rise.
FK Austria Wien has confirmed that the club will officially honor and bid farewell to El Sheiwi in front of home supporters ahead of their Bundesliga clash against LASK.
Although his playing career has come to an end far earlier than many imagined, El Sheiwi revealed that he intends to remain involved in football through other professional roles in the future.
