Berlin, Aug 1 (TIWN) World Cup winning German defender Benedikt Howedes has announced his retirement from football. The 32-year-old told German magazine Der Spiegel that he arrived at the decision when he was recently travelling with his his wife and child in the south of France.

The 32-year-old Höwedes left Lokomotiv Moscow by mutual consent last month while the Russian league was suspended amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Höwedes told German magazine Der Spiegel that soccer felt “suddenly so unimportant” for him after spending time with his young son on vacation, and that he had struggled to be away from his family.

Höwedes played 44 times for the German national team from 2011-17 and played every minute for his team at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.