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Former German international Jansen retires

Xinhua, July 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Free agent Marcell Jansen retired from professional soccer after his contract at Hamburg expired in July, the defender confirmed in an interview with the German tabloid Bild on Wednesday.

After 11 years of professional soccer, the 29-year-old former Hamburg defender announced to hang his shoes up. Jansen played for three different Bundesliga clubs and made 45 caps for Germany's national squad. The end of his contract in Hamburg was the main reason for his retirement, as he didn't want to play for another outfit.

"I don't want to play for a club which I don't fully support. There were some great offers but for me continuing was not an option. I am healthy, a free agent and I could still earn good money but I would rather spare this money. I was emotionally connected with the HSV the last years therefore I will continue to home here and to love the club," Jansen told the Bild in an exclusive interview.

The left back turned professional in 2004 at Borussia Monchengladbach before he joined Bayern Munich in 2007 to lift the German domestic double with. One year later Jansen agreed on a transfer to Hamburg where he scored 18 goals in 144 appearances.

"It is of course a surprising step but at the end I'm mentally done with my career," Jansen said.

The former Hamburg defender was since 2005 part of Germany's national squad where he scored three goals in 45 international caps. He played overall 242 official Bundesliga matches. Endi