Bayern munich striker Franck Ribéry has announced his retirement from international football, German sports magazine Kicker reports. The French winger, aged 31, missed the World Cup this summer due to a back injury

“I’m stopping. I realised the time had come,” Ribéry told Kicker, adding that he wanted to spend more time with his family and club, and “make way for the many young talents in the [French] national team”.

Ribéry earned 81 caps with Les Bleus, scoring 16 goals. His dazzling display at the 2006 World Cup, in which France reached the final, remains the highlight of his international career.

Since then, Ribéry has been frequently criticised for his performances with the French squad, which many considered to be well below the lofty standards he set at Bayern Munich.

Voted UEFA’s player of the year last year, the Frenchman battled to be fit for the World Cup but despite intensive treatment on his back he failed to make it to Brazil.

"There were highs and lows,” Ribéry said, reflecting on his France career. “But now is the time to start a new chapter in my life.”