Bayern Munich and France defender Willy Sagnol has announced his retirement from professional football after failing to recover from an Achilles tendon injury.
The full-back suffered the injury while representing France at Euro 2008 and he has not played since.
The decision was expected and Bayern had already pre-empted this decision months ago.
The 31-year-old told Canal+ television on Sunday that he has pain in his tendon every day and that not even further surgery will cure the problem.
He said: "I have recently tried again to find a professor who would find a solution to the problem, but you have got to face up to the facts: this injury will not heal.
"The only thing to do is stop. I feel pain every day. It is hard even to walk.
"It is a realistic decision. The doctors have made their minds up. They tried everything."
It brings to an end an illustrious career which included five Bundesliga titles with Bayern, four German Cups and also a Champions League winner's medal in 2001. He is the only member of Bayern's team that won the Champions League title still on the roster.
Sagnol, who has 58 caps for France, was also part of the French team which finished runners-up to Italy at the 2006 World Cup.
He has been linked with the position of director of sport at his former club AS Monaco and is expected to take up a management role soon.
Full name: William Sagnol
Date of birth: March 18, 1977
Birthplace: Saint-Étienne, France
Nationality: French
International Caps: 55
International Goals: 0
Honours:
FIFA Confederations Cup (2003)
French Ligue 1 (2000)
German Bundesliga (2003, 2005, 2006, 2008)
German DFB-Pokal (2003, 2005, 2006, 2008)
German Ligapokal (2004, 2007)
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The full-back suffered the injury while representing France at Euro 2008 and he has not played since.
The decision was expected and Bayern had already pre-empted this decision months ago.
The 31-year-old told Canal+ television on Sunday that he has pain in his tendon every day and that not even further surgery will cure the problem.
He said: "I have recently tried again to find a professor who would find a solution to the problem, but you have got to face up to the facts: this injury will not heal.
"The only thing to do is stop. I feel pain every day. It is hard even to walk.
"It is a realistic decision. The doctors have made their minds up. They tried everything."
It brings to an end an illustrious career which included five Bundesliga titles with Bayern, four German Cups and also a Champions League winner's medal in 2001. He is the only member of Bayern's team that won the Champions League title still on the roster.
Sagnol, who has 58 caps for France, was also part of the French team which finished runners-up to Italy at the 2006 World Cup.
He has been linked with the position of director of sport at his former club AS Monaco and is expected to take up a management role soon.
Full name: William Sagnol
Date of birth: March 18, 1977
Birthplace: Saint-Étienne, France
Nationality: French
International Caps: 55
International Goals: 0
Honours:
FIFA Confederations Cup (2003)
French Ligue 1 (2000)
German Bundesliga (2003, 2005, 2006, 2008)
German DFB-Pokal (2003, 2005, 2006, 2008)
German Ligapokal (2004, 2007)
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