FRANKFURT:  Bastian Schweinsteiger has announced his retirement from international football.

Three weeks after Germany were knocked out of Euro 2016 after their semi-final loss to France, the Manchester United midfielder has said he is stepping down as captain of the national team and ending his international playing career.

The 31-year-old scored 24 goals in his 120 appearances for his country since 2004, an international career which reached a climax with the World Cup triumph in Brazil in 2014.

He said on his Twitter page: “Dear fans of the Germany national team. I have just asked the national team coach not to consider me any more for his national team selections in future since I would like to retire.”

Schweinsteiger is among eight or nine United players whom new manager Jose Mourinho is considering off-loading. The veteran midfielder, who joined from Bayern Munich last summer, has been linked with Paris Saint-Germain.

Defenders Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Tim Fosu-Mensah, Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair are also believed to have no future at Old Trafford. Midfielders Adnan Januzaj and Andreas Pereira and forwards James Wilson and Will Keane make up the reported nine.

Since his arrival, Mourinho has brought in defender Eric Bailly, midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan and striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, while the club have been strongly linked with Juventus’ France midfielder Paul Pogba.

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