BERLIN, Jun 23 (Xinhua) -- The 34-year-old Chicago Fire defender Arne Friedrich retired from professional soccer due to physical discomforts, the former Germany defender said in an official statement on Sunday.
Arne Friedrich, who played 82 times for the German national soccer team and participated in two FIFA World championships, retires as continuous back pain from a herniated disc forced him into retirement.
"After much consideration and consultation with my doctors and physical therapists I have decided to finish my professional soccer career. The last couple of weeks and months I have been suffering from increasing back pain. With two herniated discs in my lower back, I am no longer able to fulfil the demands of a professional soccer player," Friedrich said via his personal homepage.
Thus, the German defender voided his contract with Chicago Fire to retire from soccer with immediate effect.
Friedrich spent most of his senior career in Berlin where he played eight years, from 2002 until 2010, to score 13 goals in 231 matches. Thereafter he played on short term for Wolfsburg and Chicago Fire. Besides, he was part of the "Nationalmannschaft" from 2002 until 2011 to score one goal in 82 caps.