Goalkeeper Kahn retires from national team
9/7/2006 9:23
Germany's 3-1 victory over Portugal in the World Cup third place match on
Saturday became the last international game for goalkeeper Oliver Kahn.
The
37-year-old German announced his international retirement when speaking to ZDF
German TV after the match.
"It was a beautiful time but you have to know when
it's all over,"said the Bayern Munich captain.
Kahn, who was named the
world's best goalkeeper three times, was relegated to the bench during the 2006
World Cup after Jens Lehmann was chosen by coach Juergen Klinsmann to be
Germany's first-choice goalkeeper. Kahn also lost his captaincy with Michael
Ballack taking over.
The veteran keeper was finally started in Saturday's
match and took over as skipper after Ballack was sidelined for injury.
Kahan,
who had 86 caps for Germany, was captain of the team that lost to Brazil in the
World Cup final in 2002.
But his impressive performance during that
tournament earned him the Golden Ball, an award given to the most valuable
player of the 32-team tournament.
Xinhua news
|
