[caption id="attachment_16093" align="alignnone" width="580"]Bastian Schwenstieger announces retirement from International football. Twitter Bastian Schwenstieger announces retirement from International football. Twitter[/caption] Internet Desk: Germany will miss another member of 2014 World Cup winning team after captain Bastian Schweinsteiger announced of hisretirement from international football. Informing the German coach he declared of his retirement in social media today. "With my decision I leave the national team, which was always a precious family to me. I hope that this connection will stay intact in another form”, declared the 31-year old German mid-fielder. Schweinsteiger last played for the nation side in the Euro 2016 semi-final losing to host France. Prior to the selection of the national team for 2018 World Cup he declared of his retirement that it may not cause any confusion over his inclusion to the team. Germany has their first qualifier for the 2018 World Cup against Norway on 9th September. "Joachim Loew knew how much the Euro 2016 in France meant to me, because I wanted to do everything in my power to win the title, which we haven't been able to bring back to Germany since 1996. It wasn't to be and I had to accept that”, stated Schweinsteiger. Schweinsteiger played 120 matches for Germany since 2004. He represented the national team in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Euro as well as 2006, 2010 and 2016 World Cup. However, his inclusion with the team for Euro 2016 was in doubt following confusion over his injuries. "I just asked the national team coach to not consider me for future call-ups for the German national team, because I want to end my international career. My thanks go out to the fans, the team, the DFB [German FA], and the coaches and staff around the German national team”, finally confessed Schweinsteiger.