Overview

• He announced his decision on social media, confirming the end of nearly two decades as a professional.
• During 2011–2021 at Bayern Munich, he anchored the defense and won nine Bundesliga titles and two trebles.
• He was a starter in Germany’s 2014 World Cup final and finished with 76 caps for the national team.
• His post-Bayern years included spells at Olympique Lyonnais and LASK Linz, with injuries and inconsistency, and he left LASK in August 2025.
• He emerged from Hertha BSC, played for Hamburger SV and briefly Manchester City, and was named Germany’s Footballer of the Year in 2016.