Bremen's Clemens Fritz to retire after this season

Bremen's team captain Clemens Fritz will hang up his football shoes after the end of the season, the former Germany international announced on Thursday.

"In the past few days and weeks I have been thinking about my personal future. And, after careful consideration, I came to the conclusion that I will retire after this season," Fritz said in an open letter via the club's official homepage.

The 35-year-old defensive midfielder wears since 2006 the jersey of the "Green-Whites". Since his arrival, he provided overall four goals and 22 assists in 256 Bundesliga appearances for Werder Bremen. Fritz scored in addition two goals in 22 international caps for Germany.

"It was always my desire to determine the end of my career by myself. It would have been a nightmare for me to stop involuntary. I want the fans to remember me as a player who always threw in everything for this wonderful club."

Fritz started his professional career in 1998 at VfB Leipzig before joining Rot-Weiss Erfurt, Karlruher SC, Bayer Leverkusen and finally Werder Bremen. He scored overall six goal in 299 Bundesliga games and seven goals in 61 second division games.

Bremen was the most successful spell for the defensive midfielder, who lifted the German Cup and reached the UEFA Cup final in 2009, as well as the German Cup final in 2010.

The "Werderaner" sit currently on a relegation play-off spot with only 15 points from 17 rounds. Bremen conclude the 18th round in Bundesliga against sixth-placed Schalke on Jan. 24. Endit