Rio champion Sami Khedira has announced the end of his successful career and is initially looking for a little distance from football. "I'll be out first," said Khedira on Wednesday at a press conference of his club Hertha BSC. Instead of chasing from game to game, the 34-year-old now wants to travel privately. “I won't have a real home. I'll do a lot of things that I couldn't do as an active athlete, ”said Khedira, who visibly had to struggle with his emotions when the announcement was made. Only after a few moments did he regain his composure. "I can no longer do what I ask of myself," said Khedira.

A few hours after his former world champion colleagues Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels announced the return to the national team, Khedira drew a line. The timing was unusual, but it wasn't a big surprise. Khedira just listened to his body and took the consequences. “I find it incredibly difficult. 15 years of professional football have left their mark. I am absolutely convinced that it is the right decision. The pain is very, very big, but in the end, gratitude outweighs ”, said Khedira.

"Mission CLASS MAINTENANCE, accomplished!".

With these words, the Swabian celebrated his league stay with the Berliners on social networks at the weekend.

His own mission in the capital has already ended after four months.

Recently the calf caused problems several times.

Like before the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina, when he had to pass shortly before kick-off.

The triumph in the Maracana was nevertheless the highlight of a great career, including title wins with VfB Stuttgart, Real Madrid and Juventus Turin.

Heart surgery in Turin

To have reached the tournament in Brazil at all was a great achievement. Seven months earlier, a cruciate ligament rupture seemed to rule out a World Cup. The midfield strategist fought his way back. In 2010, his soccer star rose internationally at the World Cup in South Africa, as a substitute for the injured Michael Ballack. This was followed by the move from the Ländle to Real Madrid, where he also won the Champions League in 2014 shortly before the World Cup triumph.

In the national team, after the Russia debacle in 2018, it was over after 77 international matches. National coach Joachim Loew did not bring him back. Khedira now only played a little more than 300 minutes for Hertha. He was there in eight out of 14 possible games. He never stood the full distance on the pitch. Fitness problem and risk of injury, those were the arguments of the doubters when Khedira came to the capital in winter. In Turin he had only played once in a year and a half after, among other things, he had to undergo heart surgery.

There was a lot of praise from coach Pal Dardai for the short-term commitment in the difficult Hertha environment. “He couldn't help much in terms of sport, but the matter of arranging a lot of things in the dressing room was not just world-class with his name. That was a big help, ”said the Hertha coach. At his presentation at the beginning of February, Khedira had already said: “I will definitely use all of my energy, all my knowledge and all of my sporting repertoire to make the next games successful.” After the game against 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday, it's Khediras Career over.