Stuttgart (AP) - The twelve-time German national soccer player Dennis Aogo ends his active career. The 33-year-old announced this on Sunday.
"I have decided to end my career as a player," wrote Aogo on Instagram and posted a video with memories from his 16 years as a professional footballer.
The decision was not easy for him, said the former defensive all-rounder. But "the time for a cut and then also a next step has come". He wanted to "say THANK YOU to football for so many experiences, so many instructive moments, so many moments and friendships that will last forever. My team in the future is my family, our second newcomer is on the way," Aogo wrote his wife Ina lives in Berlin and is expecting their second child with her: "We can hardly describe our anticipation."
Born in Karlsruhe, he made his professional debut at SC Freiburg in October 2004. He later played for Hamburger SV, FC Schalke 04 and VfB Stuttgart in the first and most recently for almost half a year for Hannover 96 in the second division. At the end of January he agreed with the Lower Saxony to prematurely terminate his contract, since then he has been without a club. Aogo has made a total of 257 Bundesliga, twelve Champions League and 22 Europa League appearances in his career. With the German national team he took part in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Aogo initially left it open as to how things will continue for him off the pitch. "But anyone who knows me knows that I also need my professional challenges. More on that soon," he wrote: "THANK YOU for walking this path with me, it was incredible. And it will continue."
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 200823-99-275646 / 2
Dennis Aogo's Instagram account