Philipp Lahm has retired from international football with Germany effective immediately.

Lahm, 30, captained Germany to their win in the 2014 World Cup.

"Over the course of last season, I made my mind up that I was going to end my international career after the World Cup," Lahm said. "I informed Germany coach Joachim Low of this decision on Monday at breakfast. I am grateful and thankful that the end of my career coincides with winning the World Cup in Brazil with the national team.

"This morning, I bid farewell to DFB [German football association] president Wolfgang Niersbach and expressed my thanks to him for the excellent collaboration with the coaching team of Joachim Low, Hansi Flick, Andy Kopke and general manager Oliver Bierhoff as well as the entire team and all DFB employees for the past ten years."