German striker Thomas Mueller announced his retirement from international football on Monday following Germany's disappointing Euro 2024 performance, where they were eliminated in the quarter-finals.
"After 131 national team games and 45 goals, I am saying goodbye," Mueller said in a video statement.
Mueller, who turns 35 in September, was a pivotal player in Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning team. Notably, he scored the opening goal in Germany's historic 7-1 victory over Brazil in the semi-final.
Reflecting on his career, Mueller stated, "When I played my first international match for the German national team over 14 years ago, I could never have dreamed of all this. It always made me very proud to play for my country. We celebrated together and sometimes shed a tear together."
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Mueller had hinted at retirement after Germany's exit from Euro 2024, where the host nation lost 2-1 in the quarter-final to Spain, who eventually won the tournament by defeating England in the final.
After the defeat to Spain, Mueller mentioned that he would discuss his future with national team coach Julian Nagelsmann to determine if stepping aside for younger players was the best option.
Currently, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is the only remaining member of Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning team still active in the national setup. Germany and Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos had already announced his retirement from football prior to Euro 2024.
Unlike Kroos, Mueller will continue to play for his club, Bayern Munich, where he is under contract until 2025. Mueller's 131 appearances place him third on Germany's all-time list, behind only Lothar Matthaeus and Miroslav Klose. He is also Germany's sixth-highest goalscorer.
