Former Germany international Markus Babbel has said he will wind up his footballing career when his contract with Bundelsiga club Stuttgart comes to end this May.
"I will call time," the 34-year-old told the Bild newspaper. "I've always been an influential player in the game and I'm getting to the stage where I can't play that role."
Babel, who previously played for Hamburg, Bayern Munich and Liverpool, has only played two matches in the Bundesliga since the season's start.
The defender, who was part of the Germany team that won Euro-96 in England and won a total of 51 caps for the national side, his last coming in 2000, has targeted becoming a manager of a Bundesliga club after his retirement.
since that day he suffered from that syndrome ........ he should have called it a day after Liverpool FC , instead he moved to Rovers .... then Bundesliga .
I still remember him, Hyypia and Henchoz in Liverpool's defence.
Those were the days.
Enjoy ur retirement, Babbel
Cheers.
C.K