Lancaster native Russell Canouse announces retirement

Lancaster, Pa. native Russell Canouse announced his retirement from professional soccer in a social media post on Tuesday, making official the end of his career after spending eight seasons with D.C. United and 11 years as a professional dating back to his time in Germany.

Canouse logged more than 11,000 minutes for D.C. United and more than 16,000 in his professional career, which included stints with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and VfL Bochum in Germany, where he pursued a career leaving home at 15 to join Hoffenheim’s academy.

“After battling Ulcerative Colitis for multiple years and having 3 surgeries last season, this decision allows me to truly focus on my health and family first,” Canouse wrote. “This sport has been my life from leaving home at 14 to join the U17 U.S. National Team, to launching my career in Germany with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at 15, to playing for VfL 1848 Bochum, and later returning home to compete in MLS with D.C. United, the club I supported as a kid. Soccer has given me some of the greatest moments I’ll ever know, and I’m beyond grateful to have lived out my childhood dream.”

Canouse played locally for PA Classics and joined the New York Red Bulls Academy before going abroad.

“Thank you all for being part of my story,” Canouse wrote. “This chapter may be closing, but the gratitude I carry forward is endless.”

 

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A post shared by RUSSELL CANOUSE (@russellcanouse)