German World Cup winner Andre Schurrle has announced his retirement from football.
Last week, it was confirmed that Borussia Dortmund and the 29-year-old had agreed to a mutual termination of his contract, despite there being another year left to run on the deal.
It was expected that the former Chelsea forward would look for a new club but he has now told Der Spiegel that he is calling time on his career, having fallen out of love with the game.
“The decision matured over time. The depths became deeper and the highlights less and less,” he said of his decision.
“You always have to play a certain role in order to survive in the business, otherwise you will lose your job and you’ll not get a new one.”
Schurrle also posted on Instagram, explaining that he was stepping away from the game and thanking those who supported him.
"On behalf of myself and my family I want to thank everybody who was a part of these phenomenal years,” he said.
"The support and love you shared with me was unbelievable and more I could have ever asked for.
"Now I’m ready and open for all the beautiful possibilities that are coming towards me."
Schurrle made his Bundesliga debut with Mainz at the age of 18. After two seasons, he moved to Bayer Leverkusen.
In 2013, Chelsea came calling. He only stayed for 18 months, notching a tally of 14 goals in 65 appearances before leaving for Wolfsburg halfway through the club's title-winning campaign under Jose Mourinho.
After a 2016 move to Borussia Dortmund, Schurrle spent last season on loan with Spartak Moscow and the previous campaign with Fulham.
The German's record with his national team is outstanding. He was capped 57 times for his country and scored 22 goals.
In the 2014 World Cup, Schurrle helped Germany to the title with three goals in Brazil, including a double in the infamous semi-final. He also assisted Mario Gotze's extra-time winner in the final.
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