Our early exit from the World Cup is extremely sobering. We clearly fell short of expectations and should have gone further in this tournament. This ending really hurts.
I made a very conscious decision to play for Germany one more time. On the one hand, because wearing the national team jersey has always filled me with deep pride. Second, because at 40 years old and with the experience of four World Cup tournaments under my belt, I wanted to support the young players as best I could—both on and off the field—and help German soccer. Despite the bitter end, I don’t regret this decision for a second.
My disappointment is indescribable, yet I remain deeply grateful. Thank you for your support over the years and during this tournament.
Yours,
Manuel
