Kahn calls it a day
Afp, Stuttgart
Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn announced here on Saturday after his country won the World Cup third-place playoff against Portugal that he was ending his international career. "It was my last international match today and I could not have wished for a better final game for my country," Kahn said. "It was a great time, but you have to know when it is time to stop." Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann had dropped Kahn in favour of Jens Lehmann for the tournament, but recalled him for the third-place playoff which Germany won 3-1. Kahn, 37, was elected the best player of the 2002 World Cup after helping Germany to the final in which they were beaten 2-0 by Brazil. The Bayern Munich stopper admitted during the World Cup that he would "never understand" Klinsmann's decision to drop him just before the tournament. But he won praise for the way he encouraged Lehmann ahead of the tense penalty shootout victory against Argentina in the quarterfinal. Kahn also faces a fight for his place at Bayern Munich with 22-year-old Michael Rensing emerging last season.
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