German World Champion Durm retires from football
One of the members of Joachim Löw's 2014 German World Championship squad announced his retirement this evening.
After making just six appearances across all competitions for 1. FC Kaiserslautern this year, 31-year-old fullback Erik Durm has opted to hang up his cleats in the middle of the current campaign. The seven-times-capped international - part of Joachim Löw's 2014 World Championship squad - concludes an active professional career that spanned ten-and-a-half seasons.
Durm remains unused off the bench during Germany's World Cup run, but still hoisted the trophy as part of the team. Durm collected quite a bit of silverware in his active career, winning the DFB Pokal with Borussia Dortmund in 2017 and capturing the Europa League crown with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022. He also played a season for Huddersfield town in the Premiership.
Durm - who spent some time in the FSV Mainz 05 academy - returned to his native Rheinland-Pfalz to play for 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the summer of 2022. After a successful first season with the Red Devils of the Palatinate, Durm found himself squeezed out of the XI by new additions such as 1. FC Union Berlin loanee Tymoteusz Puchacz this year. He's also had fitness issues
"I moved to my favorite club a year and a half ago with the firm intention of playing an important role in the club and the team at FCK," a statement released by Lautern, "In the first year, this plan seemed to work out. Since the summer of last year, I've unfortunately had to deal with a number of minor injuries and health problems, which have meant that I haven't been able to help FCK as much as I personally and the club would have liked.
"This situation, coupled with the prospect of less playing time, has led to me agreeing an early termination of my contract with the FCK management," Durm's statement continues, "I will therefore end my career, which I can look back on with pride, as of today. As an FCK fan, I will of course continue to come to the Betze with all my heart and soul whenever I can. I would like to thank all the fans and the entire FCK family."