Former Germany defender Marcell Jansen has quit professional football at the age of just 29 following his release by Hamburg.
In 2007, Jansen had the world at his feet when he joined Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich having been part of the Germany squad which finished third at the 2006 World Cup on home soil and he played in the Euro 2008 final when Germany lost to Spain.
But having failed to break into Bayern’s first-team, Jansen was sold to Hamburg in 2008 where he has spent recent seasons battling relegation. His decision to quit came despite offers from England’s Everton and Benfica Lisbon.
The left-back says he now just wants to play football as a hobby and refuses to play half-heartedly for a new club just to further his career.
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"I've been thinking about things a lot during the summer break," Jansen told daily newspaper Bild, having made 242 appearances in Germany's top flight.
“There were great offers. But, for me, moving on is not an option.
“I could not play somewhere for two or three years where I do not stand behind it 100 per cent.
“I can’t suddenly kiss another badge now.
“Recently, football has been my job, but I’m looking forward to getting it back again as a hobby.”
Jansen won the last of his 45 caps for Germany in March 2014, when he started in a 1-0 friendly win over Chile, and although he was included in Joachim Joachim Low’s provisional World Cup squad, he was cut from the final group which went on to win Brazil 2014.
Having already set up his own company and started a gym-clothes line, Jansen is already thinking about a new career.
“I’d like to get involved with a start-up business, for example, it’s something I have been dreaming of with 100 percent passion,” he said.
“In 11 years of Bundesliga, I have been lucky enough to have earned good money, which means I am free to decide my next step.”
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