Germany captain Philipp Lahm has retired from
international football after leading his side to
victory at the World Cup in Brazil.
The 30-year-old Bayern Munich defender, who can
also play in midfield, played 113 times for Germany.
Lahm will continue playing for his club side, where he
renewed his contract until 2018 shortly before the
World Cup.
His retirement from the national side was confirmed
by the German FA (DFB).
"I am happy and grateful that the end of my career
with the national team coincides with winning the
World Cup in Brazil," he said in an open letter on the
DFB website.
Lahm's international career started in February 2004
with a 2-1 defeat of Croatia and ended with the 1-0
win over Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday.
DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach said: "Philipp
called me this morning and personally informed me
of this step. I very quickly realised that it was
pointless trying to persuade him to reconsider his
decision.
"He was not just a superb player for 10 years in the
national team, but also a complete role model. I
thanked him for everything that he's done for the
DFB."
Lahm now plans to focus on the club side that he
joined aged 11 and has been captain of since 2011.
"There is hardly a better farewell than to be a world
champion at the peak of your career," Bayern
chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said.
"But for the national team, it will not be easy to
replace Lahm as a player, captain and a man."
Philipp Lahm factfile
Born in Munich on 11
November 1983. Lahm had to battle
back from serious
injury several times.
On his return from
Stuttgart to Bayern, he
had a torn cruciate
ligament which kept
him out for six
months.
Lahm played 113
games, scoring five
times for Germany in a
10-year international
career. Made club captain in
2011 and led the team to
their 2013 Champions
League, German title
and German Cup treble.
Joined Bayern Munich at
11 and made his debut
for the senior side in
2002, but the club had so
many defenders that he
was loaned out to
Stuttgart from 2003 to
2005.
Was converted from
right-back to
defensive midfielder
at the start of 2013-14
by new Bayern boss
Pep Guardiola and
played in both
positions during the
2014 World Cup.

Unlike uncle Yobo that decorated his team with a goal.

^^
Na true o, na the whole Nigeria beg Bros' Yobo to retire he still no gree until he make sure say he by force enter that 100 cap mark, crowning it with a nice own goal, see as this guy just retired when no one was expecting him to, cos he's still on top of his game if you ask me, with 113caps, all I can say is 'thank you Mr Lahm' for not being selfish.