Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has called time on his glittering international career, it was confirmed on Friday. 

As we can see courtesy of ESPN FC, the veteran announced his decision via Twitter:

The highlight of Schweinsteiger’s 120 appearances for Germany came in 2014, when he turned in a superb performance to help his side win the FIFA World Cup against Argentina. 

The 31-year-old scored 24 times for Die Mannschaft and was named as team captain following the retirement of Philipp Lahm after the World Cup win.

Schweinsteiger was influential on the international stage, as these numbers from Squawka Football show:

When he made his debut for the national team in 2004 as a flashy wide player, few would have expected Schweinsteiger to become the heartbeat of the team for more than a decade.

As he grew as a central midfielder with Bayern Munich, he did so with Germany, too. Under manager Joachim Low, Schweinsteiger was particularly impressive, and at the centre of a daring young side, he emerged from the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa as one of the standout players in the world.

His international career is full of stellar performances, although few will resonate more with his compatriots than his magnificent display in the 2014 World Cup final at the Maracana. Schweinsteiger was sensational, giving blood, sweat and tears for the cause as Germany beat Argentina in extra time.

Bundesliga pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft hailed his influence in that particular contest:

Sadly, these showings have become less common for the midfielder, who has struggled with injuries in recent seasons. With his future at Manchester United reportedly uncertain, per Andy Hunter of the Guardian, you suspect these fitness woes have had an effect on his decision.

At 31, there are still years to come in Schweinsteiger’s career, and when he’s on the field, his class shines through. Whether at United or elsewhere, he’ll give himself the best chance to be in the best shape possible by focusing on the domestic scene. 

As BT Sport’s Archie Rhind-Tutt suggested, he’s not been at his best for Germany since the World Cup anyway:

Germany will miss his influence off the field, as the midfielder has shown tremendous leadership skills down the years. But with Toni Kroos and Sami Khedira, plus the likes of Emre Can, Mahmoud Dahoud and Julian Weigl progressing well, the future looks bright in central midfield for the world champions.

Even so, Schweinsteiger has become synonymous with this generation’s brilliant Germany side, and it’ll be a long time before someone emerges who has such a profound influence on the team for so long again.