Alexandra Popp: Legendary Germany striker to retire from international football - 'The fire has almost burned out'
ByOli Gent
Updated 30/09/2024 at 22:51 GMT+1
Alexandra Popp has said that "the fire" that she had within her to fuel the start of her international career has "almost burned out" as the striker called time on her Germany career. The 33-year-old, who plays her domestic football for Wolfsburg, will retire from the international stage next month having played 144 times. Her final two appearances will be against England and Australia.
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Alexandra Popp, the Germany captain, has announced her retirement from international football.
The striker, who plays her domestic football for Wolfsburg, will hang up her boots on the international stage next month after 144 appearances.
She has scored 67 goals in that time for Die Nationalelf having made her initial bow in 2010.
Her final - and 146th - appearance, according to the German FA, will be on 28 October, against Australia in Duisburg.
Three days before that, Die Mannschaft are scheduled to play England at Wembley.
"I have always stressed that my gut will make the decision, and now it has," Popp said.
"After long, tearful deliberations, I have decided with a heavy heart to end my career with the national team.
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"The fire that ignited in me 18 years ago and grew stronger from year to year has now almost burned out.
"It was always important to me to make this decisive decision myself, from within myself. Neither my body, which is a ticking time bomb, nor another person should get ahead of me.
"Before the fire is completely extinguished - because then it would be too late - the right time has now come."
The 33-year-old won gold at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and has featured in four World Cups, captaining her team in the final two - in France and Australasia.
She played in the Euro 2022 final against England, which Germany lost in extra-time at Wembley.
Christian Wuck, the Germany manager, remarked that Popp was the "defining face of the women's national team for almost a decade and a half".
"She is leaving big footprints in the national team. She deserves the greatest respect for that,” he said.
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