2014 World Cup winner Schurrle retires from football

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - German football player Andre Schurrle on Friday announced retirement at the age of 29.

“I want to let you know that I’m stepping away from playing professional football !!,” Schurrle said on Instagram.

The former Borussia Dortmund player thanked everyone around him for their efforts for the “phenomenal years” that he spent.

“Now I’m ready and open for all the beautiful possibilities that are coming towards me,” Schurrle added.

The German winger also put his photo of lifting the 2014 FIFA World Cup on the social media.

Schurrle was a part of the German national team, who were the World Cup winners six years ago in Brazil.

During his professional career, Schurrle played for German clubs Bayer Leverkusen, Mainz, Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund, and England's Chelsea and Fulham, and Russian team Spartak Moscow.

He netted 110 goals in 420 club appearances.

Schurrle was the 2015 English champion with Chelsea.

He scored 22 goals in 57 international matches for Germany.