“I want to follow Jesus and don’t want to play on Saturdays, as it’s my day of rest,” says footballer as he retires from football.

Silvan Wallner, a 22-year-old Swiss midfielder, has announced his retirement from professional football, stating that his decision is driven by his wish to follow Jesus Christ.

The defender, who started his career in 2020 with FC Zurich, has accumulated over 100 appearances, playing for two other clubs, Wil and BW Linz, where he signed a two-year contract in September.

Wallner in a statement released by Blau-Weiß Linz, said: “I’m a devout Christian, and I read the Bible. I make my own decisions about my life. I wish to follow Jesus Christ, and the biblical day of rest has become important to me.

This means that I no longer want to play professionally on Saturdays. This is my personal conviction, I’m not yet a member of any church. I say a big thank you to people who have accompanied and supported me in my sporting career.”