Earlier today, Simon Rolfes (32) announced his retirement from professional football. Rolfes currently at Bayer Leverkusen announced he’d be retiring at the end of the season.
Rolfes: "In the summer I'll have played for Leverkusen for 10 years, then it'll be time to leave the pitch. I'm healthy and fit, so it's a good time. I still have six months left here, I look forward to that. Afterwards, I'd like to go into management."
Bayer Leverkusen Sporting Director Rudi Völler commented on the news: "I'm surprised. I have repeatedly told him and only again yesterday: 'do not stop too soon or you might regret it later."
He added: "He has a clear plan. He knows that the door will always be open, if he wants to do something here."
CEO Michael Schade: "We've talked about a contract extension and have always kept the subject open. However, he has just decided that he wants to leave in the summer and he is putting in the preparation for his next career. It is, I think, very structured and tidy. "
"I am sure that he will be successful and that our paths will cross again."
He started his career at Werder Bremen, he failed to break into the first team and made 100 appearances for Werder Bremen II.
He moved to Leverkusen in 2005, since then he has made 264 appearances scoring forty goals from the defensive midfield position and finished runners up in the Bundesliga 2010-11 and DFB Pokal in 2008-09.
Rolfes made his international debut for Germany in a friendly against Denmark on 28 March 2007 in Duisburg. He made twenty-six appearances, netting twice against Lichtenstein and Ukraine and was apart of the runners up in Euro 2008 and retired in 2011.
Leverkusen currently sit 4th in the Bundesliga following their 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich at the Allianz and they are top of their Champions League group.