Former Germany captain Dzsenifer Marozsan to retire in April

Former Germany captain Dzsenifer Marozsan will retire from international football in April, after earning her 112th cap in the team's upcoming friendly against Brazil in Nuremberg.

The midfielder informed head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg of her decision, citing her lengthy recovery from rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her knee in April 2022.

Having picked up the injury during a World Cup qualifier against Serbia, Marozsan missed Euro 2022 as Germany reached the final.

"My serious knee injury in the spring of 2022 made me realize that it felt right to stop playing for the national team," Marozsan said in a statement. "Missing the European Championship in England was one of many signs.

"I remember well how at the 2011 World Cup, when I was also injured, I didn't even want to watch a game. Now I was the biggest fan of the girls on TV, without it hurting not to be there."

Key to Germany's dominance

Marozsan formed a crucial part of Germany's 2013 European winning side and was named as part of the squad of the tournament as the team won their sixth consecutive title in the competition.

Three years later, the Olympique Lyon player scored in theOlympic final as Germany overcame Sweden 2-1 to win Gold in Brazil. 

An equally decorated player on the domestic front, the 30-year-old won the Champions League with FFC Frankfurt in 2015 before moving to Lyon and forming part of a team that won four consecutive Champions League titles between 2016-20.

Despite successfully recovering her ACL injury and returning to the pitch for Lyon this season, Marozsan no longer believes her body can manage the workload of a domestic and international schedule.

"I'm doing well again at the club, but the knee isn't the same as it used to be," she explained. "I have to work enormously hard to make sure I can do all the training sessions and games.

"I think it would just be too much to then do internationals, preparation and the tournament."

Marozsan's importance to the success of the German team was underlined as she was voted the country's female footballer of the year three times in a row between 2017 and 2019.

National side head coach Voss-Tecklenburg paid tribute to the midfilder, who netted 33 goals in 111 matches for her country, saying: "I have the greatest respect for Dzsenifer's decision. 

"She is a great personality and an outstanding footballer who has done an incredible amount for German football. She has played a major role in the success of the women's national team as a leading player, but also as an identification figure and role model."

A unique midfield talent

Lyon currently lead Paris Saint-Germain by a point in the Division 1 Féminine, while they play Chelsea in their upcoming Champions League quarter-final in March.

Across all competitions this season, Marozsan has scored seven goals in 14 appearances, including the opener in Lyon's quarter-final league cup victory over Stade de Reims.

Praising the German player maker's impact on world football, Joti Chatzialexiou, who overseas all of Germany's national teams, added: "Dzsenifer Marozssn is one of the most brilliant footballers to have played for Germany. 

"We will miss her not only as a personality on and off the pitch, but also as a technically outstanding and intuitive footballer, with special ball skills and a unique understanding of the game. 

"She has shaped an era in the national team, crowned by great titles for Germany."

km/mf (dpa/reuters)