Bayern Munich captain Philipp Lahm has announced that he will retire from football at the end of the season.
Report spread on Tuesday afternoon that the versatile German defender was considering his future and could walk away from the sport at the end of the year, which Lahm has now confirmed to be accurate.
Under contract until 2018, Lahm announced his plan to quit ahead of schedule in the wake of Tuesday’s 1-0 DFB-Pokal win over Wolfsburg, having celebrated his 500th club appearance against Schalke on Saturday.
The 33-year-old said: “I will quit at the end of the season. I think this is the right point in time to leave this summer.”
“More than a year ago I started checking and questioning myself from day to day and week to week. I’m certain I’ll maintain peak form through to the end of the season. I can manage that until the end of the campaign, but not beyond it.”
Thanks for the memories, Captain! Good luck for the rest of the season with @FCBayernEN and enjoy your retirement, @philipplahm. 👏 pic.twitter.com/RYIw7sLG67
— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) February 7, 2017
Lahm also confirmed that he would not be staying with the Bavarian giants in any capacity having previously been linked with taking over the club’s sporting director position at the end of his playing days.
Lahm added: “I won’t take over the sporting director job. I have decided that it’s not the right time for that”
Minus a loan spell with Stuttgart Lahm has spent his entire career with Bayern Munich, making over 500 appearances in all competitions for the club.
The full-back has helped the club to win seven Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokals and one Champions League trophy.
Lahm also won the 2014 World Cup with Germany in Brazil, and will leave football at just 33 after 16 years as a professional player.
COMMENTS