Benedikt Höwedes retires from football
Benedikt Höwedes has decided to hang up his boots.
Former German international Benedikt Höwedes has announced his retirement from football at the age of 32.
Höwedes, who won the World Cup with Germany in 2014, last played for Lokomotiv Moscow and left the club by mutual consent last month.
The former Schalke 04 defender announces his decision in an interview with Der Spiegel, in which he says that during a recent vacation with his wife and child, football 'suddenly felt so unimportant' for him.
During his career, Höwedes played for Schalke, Juventus and Lokomotiv Moscow. He made a total of 44 appearances for Germany, scoring two goals.