Oliver Kahn confirmed his retirement from international football after Germany clinched third place in the World Cup with a 3-1 win against Portugal in Stuttgart on Saturday.

The 37-year-old Bayern Munich shot-stopper replaced Jens Lehmann for the game to win his 86th cap for his country.

Kahn said after the victory: "That was my last international match. It was a beautiful time but you have to know when it's all over."

Assistant coach Joachim Loew said of Germany's progress in the tournament: "It's an indescribable feeling to see the way the people are celebrating this here.

"It's hard to imagine a bigger party even if we had won the World Cup. We're delighted that we've accomplished what we have against all the resistance."