German striker Thomas Mueller has announced his retirement from international football after a 14-year career with the national team.
Mueller, who turns 35 in September, made the announcement in a video statement, saying “After 131 national team games and 45 goals, I am saying goodbye.”
Mueller was a key member of the German team that won the 2014 World Cup, scoring the opening goal in the 7-1 victory over Brazil and winning the Golden Boot at the 2010 World Cup. He praised the team’s victories and defeats, saying “We celebrated together and sometimes shed a tear together.”
Germany’s coach Julian Nagelsmann and national team director Rudi Voeller praised Mueller’s qualities, with Voeller saying “Nobody is like Thomas Mueller… His value to German football cannot be overestimated.”
Mueller’s last game for Germany was the 2-1 loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals. He will continue to play for his club Bayern Munich, where he is under contract until 2025.
In his own words, Mueller reflected on his career, saying “When I played my first international match for the German national team over 14 years ago, I could never have dreamed of all this… Great victories and bitter defeats. Sometimes on the floor, only to get back up again.”
