Former Rangers title winner makes shock decision to quit football just two weeks after Celtic taunts

Former Rangers playmaker Vladimir Weiss has taken the sudden decision to retire from football after being on the end of second successive heavy defeat in Europe.

The 34-year-old attacking midfielder was part of the Slovan Bratislava side that suffered a 5-1 thrashing at Celtic in opening round of Champions League fixtures a fortnight ago. Weiss was taunted throughout the match by the Celtic Park crowd, with his every touch being jeered before sarcacstic cheers greeted his withdrawal after 75 minutes.

Bratislava and Weiss endured another evening to forget on UCL matchday two as they crashed to a 4-0 defeat at Manchester City thanks to goals from lkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and James McAtee. On this occasion, Weiss was taken off after 63 minutes, with his manager and father, also called Vladimir, revealing afterwards that his son has officially quit the game, months before his intended retirement in the summer.

Slovan Bratislava's Vladamir Weiss in action against Celtic. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group) | SNS Group

“Vladimir will make his own announcement in the next few days," his father said. "But yes, I believe that was his last game. I'm his father and manager and it's hard for me. Everything begins and ends at some point. It will also happen to me too.”

It is the second time Vladimir Jnr has brought an abrupt end to his playing career. He once quit international football in 2018 after storming back to the dressing room in a fit of rage over being an unused substitute in a Slovakia game. He reversed his decision in 2022 and has 77 caps for his country.

Weiss began his career at City, where he made just three first-team appearances, and spent the 2010-11 season on loan at Rangers, scoring five goals in 23 appearances to help the Ibrox side lift the Scottish Premiership title as well as the League Cup. His career has also taken him to Espanyol, Pescara and Olympiacos, as well as a stint in Qatar before returning to his homeland to sign for Bratislava in 2021.