Germany’s World Cup winner Boateng announces retirement

Germany’s World Cup winner Boateng announces retirement
Bayern Munich's German defender Jerome Boateng warms up prior to the German first division Bundesliga football match FC Bayern Munich vs Hertha Berlin on October 4, 2020 in Munich. (FILE/AFP)
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Updated 20 September 2025

Germany’s World Cup winner Boateng announces retirement

Germany’s World Cup winner Boateng announces retirement
  • The 37-year-old, who made 76 appearances for Germany between 2009-18, spent 10 years at Bayern after joining from Manchester City in 2011, winning nine Bundesliga titles and two Champions League’s

REUTERS: Former Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng, a World Cup winner with Germany in 2014, announced his retirement from professional football late on Friday.
The 37-year-old, who made 76 appearances for Germany between 2009-18, spent 10 years at Bayern after joining from Manchester City in 2011, winning nine Bundesliga titles and two Champions League trophies.
“I played for a long time, for big clubs, for my country. I learned, won, lost, and grown through it all,” Boateng said in a video uploaded to Instagram.
“Football has given me a lot, but now it’s time to move on. Not because I have to, but because I’m ready. I’m grateful for everything, for the teams, the fans, the people who carried me. And above all, my family, my children. They were always there.”
Boateng also played for Olympique Lyonnais, Salernitana and Hamburg SV, last featuring for Austrian side LASK Linz, where his contract was terminated by mutual consent last month.
In July last year, he was handed a suspended fine and a warning following a trial relating to domestic violence allegations by his former partner.
The mother of his twin daughters accused him of hurling a lamp at her which missed and then throwing a small box which injured her arm, before hitting her and pulling her hair. Boateng denied injuring his ex-girlfriend.


Pakistan elect to bowl first against South Africa in 1st ODI

Pakistan elect to bowl first against South Africa in 1st ODI
Updated 6 sec ago

Pakistan elect to bowl first against South Africa in 1st ODI

Pakistan elect to bowl first against South Africa in 1st ODI
  • South Africa’s top order is boosted by the return of opening batter Quinton de Kock, who reversed his ODI retirement last month
  • Pakistan has included wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan in the playing XI after sacking him from the ODI captaincy last month

FAISALABAD: Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and elected to field against South Africa in their one-day international series opener on Tuesday.

An under-strength South Africa, without captain Temba Bavuma and seven front-line white-ball players, awarded ODI debuts to batters Sinethemba Qeshile and Lhuan-dre Pretorius along with allrounder Donovan Ferreira.

South Africa’s top order is boosted by the return of opening batter Quinton de Kock, who reversed his ODI retirement last month.

Pakistan has included wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan in the playing XI after sacking him from the ODI captaincy last month. Fakhar Zaman also returns after skipping the preceding Twenty20 series against the Proteas which Pakistan won 2-1.

Pakistan has opted to go with specialist spinners Mohammad Nawaz and Abrar Ahmed. Salman Ali Agha was another spin option.

Faisalabad is staging international cricket for the first time in 17 years and also hosts the other ODIs on Thursday and Saturday.

LINEUPS

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Hussain Talat, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed

South Africa: Quinton de Kock, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Tony de Zorzi, Matthew Breetzke (captain), Sinethemba Qeshile, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Bjorn Fortuin, Lungi Ngidi, Lizaad Williams