Svenja Huth retires from Germany team before Olympics

After 88 caps, 14 goals, a European Championship win and an Olympic gold, Germany women's vice captain, Svenja Huth, has called time on her international career. 

Huth said she will look back on her time playing for the national team with "pride and humility." She will continue playing for Wolfsburg in the Women's Bundesliga but believes the time is right to exit the international stage.

"I'm all the happier that we managed to qualify for the Olympics together at the end. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for the girls in front of the TV and cheering them on," Huth said.

Huth got married to her partner and became a mother last year, which seems to have played a part in her decision. She described the challenge of playing for Wolfsburg and Germany as "both physically and mentally challenging and exhausting," adding that "I'm looking forward to the tasks at the club, a little more time at home with my family and hopefully a successful tournament for the girls."

Germany qualified for the Olympics last month with a win over the Netherlands after a shock group stage exit in the 2023 World Cup spelled the end of Martina Voss-Tecklenburg's tenure as coach . Her interim replacement, Horst Hrubesch, will be replaced by Christian Wück, after the Olympics and the new coach will undoubtedly want to make his mark on a squad that has fallen slightly off the pace of late.

He will have to do some without Huth, who the German FA (DFB) Sports Director Nia Künzer described as a "great role model."

Künzer said she had "always been impressed by the courage, team spirit and commitment, but also the incredible willpower and empathy with which she has gone on her way and always remained true to herself." 

Wück may also have to make a decision on the future of Huth's Wolfsburg teammate, and Germany captain, Alexandra Popp, after the Games in Paris. Popp will still have a chance to go out on a high, but Huth will be happy enough to watch on from home.

mp/wd (SID, dpa)