Veteran goalkeeper Kwon Soon-tae (39-Kashima Antlers), who has played for the South Korean national soccer team, will retire after this season.

Kwon’s club, the Kashima Antlers of the Japanese J-League, announced on Tuesday through their official channels that Kwon will retire at the end of the 2023 season and will hold a retirement ceremony after their final home game of the season against Yokohama FC on December 3.

Kwon Soon-tae made his professional debut with the K League’s Jeonbuk Hyundai in 2006 and played for the club until 2016, with the exception of 2011 and 2012 when he served in the military with Sangju Sangmu.

He then moved to Japan in 2017 to play for Kashima, where he finished his career after seven seasons.

At Jeonbuk, Kwon helped the club win the 2009 K League and 2014 and 2015 K League 1 titles, as well as the 2006 and 2016 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League, and was named the Best 11 goalkeeper of the 2014 and 2016 K League 1 seasons.

With Kashima, he returned to the top of the AFC Champions League in 2018.

He was capped six times for his country from 2015-2017.

Speaking to the club, Kwon said: “I had a really fun and happy time playing for Kashima. The support and love I received from everyone related to the club is my treasure,” he said, adding, “I am very grateful and ask you to continue to support Kashima.” 파워볼