Former National Team Player Ends His Career: “A Little Sad”

Former national team player Diego Demme has ended his soccer career with emotional words. “At some point, the moment comes when you have to say goodbye to something that has been a part of your life for almost your entire life. And now that moment has come for me,” the 34-year-old wrote on Instagram.

Demme was named to the squad for the 2017 Confederations Cup by then-national team coach Joachim Löw. Prior to that, he made his debut for the national team as a substitute. That brief appearance against San Marino remained his only outing in a DFB jersey. Due to back problems, Demme had to withdraw from the tournament in Russia.

As a young boy, he dreamed of one day playing in big stadiums, Demme continued. “I just wanted to play soccer—and at some point, I actually got to live that dream. Big games, great successes, but of course also defeats, setbacks, and difficult moments that shaped me and made me the person I am today.”

Demme: “I’ll always love this round thing.”

He’s writing these lines “with a touch of sadness,” said Demme, who played for Arminia Bielefeld, SC Paderborn, RB Leipzig, SSC Napoli, and Hertha BSC during his professional career. The German-Italian, who was most recently without a club, also explained that it had been a wonderful soccer story that the little boy had been able to experience. “Soccer was so much more than just my job. It was my life, my passion, my everyday reality—and it gave me an incredible number of special people and moments. I will always love this round thing.”

In closing, he thanked his teammates, his family, his coaches, and “everyone who was part of this journey.”