GERMANY’S 2014 World Cup winner Jerome Boateng has announced his retirement from professional football.
The former Bayern Munich defender made his announcement late on Friday through a video uploaded to his Instagram account.
Boateng earned 76 caps for Germany between 2009 and 2018 while spending ten years at Bayern Munich after joining from Manchester City in 2011.
During his decade with Bayern, he won nine Bundesliga titles and two Champions League trophies with the German giants.
“I played for a long time, for big clubs, for my country,“ Boateng said in his retirement announcement.
“I learned, won, lost, and grown through it all. Football has given me a lot, but now it’s time to move on.”
The 37-year-old emphasized that his decision came from readiness rather than necessity while expressing gratitude to teams, fans, and especially his family.
Boateng’s career also included spells with Olympique Lyonnais, Salernitana, and Hamburg SV before his final stint with Austrian side LASK Linz.
His contract with LASK Linz was terminated by mutual consent last month following a challenging period in his personal life.
Last July, Boateng received a suspended fine and warning after a trial relating to domestic violence allegations from his former partner.
The mother of his twin daughters accused him of throwing objects and physically assaulting her during an argument, though Boateng denied injuring his ex-girlfriend. – Reuters