Andre Schurrle announces his retirement aged 29

Schurrle had cancelled the remainder of his contract with Borussia Dortmund earlier this week, revealing his decision to call time on his career in an interview with German newspaper Der Spiegel.

He spent last season on loan with Fulham and the 2019-20 campaign in Russia with Spartak Moscow, and assisted Mario Gotze's winner in the 2014 World Cup final. His retirement, though, comes as a surprise.

"The decision has matured in me for a long time," Schurrle said. "I no longer need the applause. The depths became deeper and the highlights less and less.

“You always have to play a certain role in order to survive in the business otherwise you will lose your job and will not get a new one. Only performance on the pitch counts.”