Bochum goalkeeper Andreas Luthe has ended his career after helping the club stay in the Bundesliga in a penalty shoout-out victory against Fortuna Düsseldorf.
"This was my last game in professional football. I will not renew [the contract]," Luthe told broadcasters Sat.1 late Monday.
Luthe, 34, had returned to Bochum as reserve keeper in January and was between the posts in the play-off tie against Düsseldorf because first choice Manuel Riemann was dropped for internal reasons.
He saved a penalty from Andre Hoffmann in the shoot-out after Bochum had fought back from a 3-0 home defeat in the first leg. Bochum retainned their top flight status when Düsseldorf's Takashi Uchino fired his spot kick over the bar.
"I have had 16 years of professional football and a great career. There is no better time to say thank you and I am looking forward to what is coming next," Luthe said.
Luthe came through Bochum's academy and made his first-team debut in 2009. He left for Augsburg in 2016 and also had terms at Union Berlin and Kaiserslautern before returning to his boyhood club.
