Wednesday 8 February 2017 07:45, UK
Germany's World Cup-winning captain Philipp Lahm has announced that he plans to retire at the end of the season.
The 33-year-old will still have a year left on his Bayern Munich contract at the end of the campaign but has decided to call a halt to one of the most successful careers in German football history.
A Bayern youth product, Lahm has made 501 appearances for the club since his senior debut in 2002, winning the Bundesliga seven times, plus the Champions League.
"I will end my career at the end of season," the Bayern captain told reporters after their German Cup last 16 win over VfL Wolfsburg on Tuesday.
"I've been considering it for more than the past year, that you have to keep testing yourself, you have to keep asking yourself 'how is it', day by day, week by week on the training pitch, what's the feeling you have.
"I have informed club officials about my decision. I can continue with my leadership style, giving my best every day, in every training, until the end of the season.
"I can keep doing it this season but not beyond."
Lahm made his name as one of the world's best full-backs, but frequently moved into a midfield role later in his career.
He was capped 113 times by Germany before retiring from the international scene after skippering them to World Cup success in Brazil.
And he will hope to end his Bayern career on a high too - the German giants are currently on top of the Bundesliga and have a Champions League last-16 tie against Arsenal upcoming.
Lahm had been in talks to take over the position of sporting director, vacant since Matthias Sammer stepped down for health reasons last July, but he indicated he will not be fulfilling the role in the short term.
"There were talks and after the talks I came to the decision that now is not the right time to get on board at Bayern," Lahm added.
