Andre Schurrle was the man who set up Mario Götze for Germany’s historic World Cup goal. In the 113th minute of the 2014 World Cup final, Schurrle sprinted down the left flank and delivered a perfect cross with his left foot to Götze, who scored the decisive goal. The rest is football history.

Schurrle, now 34, retired from football at just 29 in 2020, while many of his World Cup-winning teammates like Götze (32), Thomas Müller (35), and Manuel Neuer (39) are still playing. Schurrle explained his decision: “No one could understand my choice, but I realized my football capital was spent. Life is too short—I wanted a new adventure.”

Schurrle’s New Passion: Extreme Sports

Schurrle quickly found his new calling in adventure sports. He has taken on bizarre challenges, running in freezing steppes without warm clothing, participating in marathons, and taking up mountaineering. In July, he will compete in his first endurance triathlon. He says, “Extreme sports are part of my journey to discover myself. From the outside, it might seem strange, but when I’m adventuring, I’m truly myself.”

Schurrle’s Goal: To Be the Best Version of Himself

“I’m obsessed with self-discovery,” Schurrle says. “My goal isn’t to prove anything to anyone. In football, I felt like I was trying to be recognized. Now, I don’t care what the world thinks—I just want to be 100% myself.”

He contrasts his current life with his football days: “When you’re running a marathon at kilometer 30, you’re completely alone. These moments are priceless. Battling through extreme conditions and being true to yourself is what drives me.”

One of the strangest photos of Schurrle shows him running in a snowstorm. He recalls, “We ran for two hours in Poland through snow to reach a cabin. We could’ve gone in for tea, but we chose to push through. That moment changed my life.”

Schurrle’s Pivotal Moment

“Before that moment, I might’ve given up,” Schurrle admits. “But I fought through because I wanted to see how far I could go. That decision changed everything.”

He has distanced himself from football: “When I played, I criticized the pressure on players. Now I realize that pressure is essential in professional sports, especially football. Without it, there’s no progress.”

Schurrle’s Career Highlights

The Assist That Made History: His cross to Götze in the 2014 World Cup final.

In 2024, Schurrle competed in the Berlin Half Marathon, finishing in 1 hour, 41 minutes, and 14 seconds.

No mountain is too high—Schurrle has also taken up mountaineering, showing talent in this sport as well.

Now passionate about extreme sports, he participated in a triathlon in France, proving his endurance in swimming too.