Schweinsteiger retires from international football

Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger has annouced his international retirement by releasing a statement this morning.

The 32-year-old midfielder has decided to call in quits after the recent UEFA European Championship in France, in which he helped Germany reach the semi-finals, before losing to the host nation.

The Manchester United player was largely restricted to a substitute's role during the tournament, as he was going into the competition off the back of a three month injury layoff.

He did, however, start the semi-final against France, in which he conceded a penalty, allowing Antoine Griezmann to score the game's first goal.

Schweinsteiger has accumulated 120 caps in his twelve year international career. As a teenager, Schweinsteiger burst onto the international scene as a winger during Euro 2004 in Portugal.

But as his career progressed, the former Bayern Munich player became a central midfielder, and developed into one of the best players in the world in his new position.

Schweinsteiger's finest moment on the international stage was when he won the 2014 World Cup, having been named man of the match in his nation's 1-0 extra time victory of Lionel Messi's Argentina in the final.

Having captained his country since Phillip Lahm's international retirement two years ago, Schweinsteiger was Germany captain at this summer's Euros.

Schweinsteiger made 500 appearances for Bayern Munich before joining United last summer. He has been plagued by injury in recent years, and is reportedly set for an exit from Old Trafford this summer.