Michael Ballack has ended his illustrious playing career at the age of 36 after being released by Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.

Former Germany captain Ballack (who won 98 caps) who also played for Bayern Munich and Chelsea announced yesterday that his appearance in a Leverkusen shirt on May 5th this year was his last.

“At the age of 36, I can look back on a long and wonderful time in professional football,” he said in a statement released by his agent Michael Becker. “As a child, I could never have even dreamt of having such a career. It was a privilege working with first-class coaches and fantastic team-mates . . . I am now looking forward to the next chapter in my life.”

Ballack won four Bundesliga titles and a Premier League title during his career.