 He retired in 2005, after an injury series not wanting to end, which had let him never take part at a World Men's Handball Championship.Stephan was the World Player of the Year 1998 and the German handball player of the years 1997 to 1999.In the Bundesliga Stephan played for OSC Rheinhausen until 1994, when he changed to TBV Lemgo where he played until 2008.