Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer announces international retirement

ANKARA

Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer announced his international retirement on Wednesday, ending a 15-year-long career with the national team.

"After more than 15 years and 124 international matches, my career in the Germany national football team comes to an end today," the 38-year-old wrote on Instagram.

"Anyone who knows me knows that I didn't take this decision lightly. I feel very well physically and, of course, the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico would also have appealed to me. And yet, after many intensive and long discussions with my family and friends, I came to the decision that now is exactly the right time to end my chapter in the national team," he added.

Neuer, who was also the national team captain, helped his nation bag the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He is the fifth most-capped German player of all time with 124 appearances.