Hamburg - Germany and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Bernd Schneider has retired from football over a back injury, Leverkusen and the German football federation DFB said on Friday.

Schneider, 35, won 81 caps and his outstanding performances at the 2002 World Cup, especially in the final which Germany lost 2-0 to Brazil, earned him the nickname "white Brazilian."

He was also a key player in Germany's third-place finish at the home World Cup in 2006.

The midfielder never lifted a major trophy, losing the 2002 Champions League and German cup final with Leverkusen and also have to settle for second in the Bundesliga twice.

Schneider started his career in his birthplace of Jena at the Carl-Zeis club before joining the Bundesliga in 1998 at Eintracht Frankfurt. He moved on to Leverkusen the next year and played a total 296 Bundesliga matches, scoring 39 goals.

Schneider underwent surgery on a back injury in April 2008. He made a brief 13-minute Bundesliga comeback a few weeks ago, but doctors now told him that he must quit football and he asked Leverkusen to be released out of his contract.

"Those how know me know my passion for football. It is regrettable to end the career in such a way," Schneider told the DFB website.

"It will probably be even more emotional when the Bundesliga starts again (in August). But the end would have come at some stage. It is easier now than having to quit over an injury at the start of my career."

Schneider said he had fully regained his fitness and had hoped to play well enough to end his career at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa which would have been his third participation at the event.

"The 2002 World Cup was a first spectacular event. Then came the 2006 World Cup in Germany. That was the greatest event you can imagine as a footballer. We will never forget how the fans supported us and how they celebrated," he said.

"It would have been great to win a cup or a championship. But it doesn't bother me too much. We were close but never quite made it. I am still satisfied with my career."

Germany captain Michael Ballack, with whom Schneider also played for several years in Leverkusen, national team coach Joachim Loew and Leverkusen officials paid tribute to Schneider.

Ballack said that Schneider was "an outstanding footballer and a great personality," while Loew named him "one of our team leaders.

"Bernd's quality and his surprise moves in midfield were of immense importance for us," Loew said.

Leverkusen managing director Wolfgang Holzhäuser named Schneider "a piece of Bayer Leverkusen history" who will be missed by the club.

But Schneider will remain at Leverkusen and work there in various areas including scouting and youth teams. Leverkusen also said that he will receive an official farewell match. (dpa)