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Bayern Munich legend Philipp Lahm to retire at the end of the season

Bayern Munich legend Philipp Lahm (© CPD Football)

FC Bayern Munich captain Philipp Lahm is set to retire at the end of the 2016/17 season. The 33 year old defender announced his decision after Bayern’s 1-0 win against VfL Wolfsburg in the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) Round of 16 on Tuesday night.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup winner is under contract until 2018 but he has decided to end his illustrious career this summer, besides turning down an offer to become Bayern’s new director of football.

The Munich-born star footballer kicked-off his football career at FT Gern in 1989, before he joined Bayern’s youth academy in 1995. He went on to represent the club at all age levels and had a first senior team appearance at the age of 20 when he came on in the injury time of an UEFA Champions League encounter in 2003. Bayern loaned Lahm to Bundesliga rivals VfB Stuttgart in the same year to give him the chance to gain some experience at senior level.

Lahm spent two seasons with Stuttgart before he returned to Munich in 2005. He made his Bundesliga debut for Bayern Munich as a substitute in a league game against DSC Arminia Bielefeld on November 19, 2005, while he made his starting eleven debut against 1. FC Kaiserslautern on December 11, 2015.

His impressive performances for the Bavarian side earned him a debut call-up to the German national team in 2004, which resulted in his first cap for the country at senior level in a 2-1 win against Croatia on February 18, 2004.

Lahm had an illustrious career in which he won various titles for club and country including seven Bundesliga championships, six DFB-Pokal (German Cup) titles, the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, and of course the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Lahm, who captained Germany during the World Cup in Brazil, retired from international football after “Die Mannschaft” won the trophy at Maracanã. He represented Germany in 115 senior international matches, while scoring five goals.

The Bayern club legend could bring his club career to a close with three more trophies as Bayern Munich continue their successful run in the Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal and the UEFA Champions League.