FRANKFURT: Germany captain and goalkeeper Nadine Angerer will retire from the national team after the Women’s World Cup in Canada next month.

Angerer, 36, said: “I’m fit and in top condition for another two or three years playing at the highest level but I also think it’s great to be able to wind down competitive sport after nearly 20 years.”

She considered it preferable “to decide myself when I stop and not because of an injury or someone else determining when my career should end.”

FIFA’s 2013 Women’s World Player of the Year continues hopes to play on at least in the possible play-off matches in the US professional league NWSL in September with the Portland Thorns.

Since her Germany debut in 1996 Angerer has played 138 internationals, won the World Cup twice and the European Championship on five occasions.

After the home World Cup failure in 2011, she succeeded Birgit Prinz as captain.

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