Friday 18 July 2014
Phillip Lahm Retires
Berlin: just days after leading his side to World Cup glory in Brazil, Germany captain Philipp Lahm has quit international soccer.
"It is the right time for me. I have totally enjoyed my time with the national team," the 30-year-old was quoted as saying on Sky Sport Deutschland's Twitter feed on Friday.
German soccer federation (DFB) website (www.dfb.de) confirmed the shock news.
DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach said: "Philipp called me this morning and personally told me the news. Very quickly into the conversation I realised that it was futile to try to change his mind.
"He was not only an outstanding player in his 10 years with the national team but always a perfect role model. I thanked him for all that he has done for the DFB."
Lahm, who played his last of 113 caps in the 1-0 victory over Argentina will continue playing for club side Bayern Munich.
"There is hardly a better farewell than to be a world champion at the peak of your career," Bayernchairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said of Lahm's resignation on the club website.
"But for the national team, it will not be easy to replace Lahm as a player, captain and a man."
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