OUAGADOUGOU — German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a 15-year career with the German national team, Die Mannschaft.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, who earned 124 caps and was the team’s first-choice goalkeeper for over a decade, shared his decision on Instagram. He stated, “The day had to come at some point. Today my career with the German national team ends. Everyone who knows me knows that this decision wasn’t easy for me.” The 38-year-old Neuer played his final match for Germany during the home European Championships, where the team was eliminated in the quarterfinals by eventual champions Spain.

Neuer’s international career highlights include winning the World Cup in 2014, though his later years saw disappointing exits in the group stages of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.