Pascal Groß has confirmed he's called time on his international career with Germany, revealing the decision only minutes after inspiring Brighton to a 3-0 win over Arsenal at the Amex Stadium. The 35-year-old scored the opener himself and later set up Chema Andres for Brighton's third.

This display earned him Man of the Match honours against the reigning champions.

Speaking to Sky Germany afterwards, Groß made clear the timing was not about the squad news that had broken days earlier.

"Officially – since I don't have social media – I haven't announced my retirement, but I have already retired," he said. "For me, it was over after the World Cup."

Jürgen Klopp had named his first squad as Germany's head coach earlier in the week, with 44 players selected across two groups for four Nations League matches against the Netherlands, Greece twice, and Serbia.

Groß's name was absent, alongside those of Leroy Sané and Deniz Ündav, as Klopp began reshaping the squad following Germany's exit from the World Cup this summer.

Groß's comments now suggest that he had already decided to step away before being left out of the squad.

Why Groß Chose to Step Away Now

Groß explained that his decision was about giving the next generation of German players a chance.

The veteran midfielder said he wanted younger players to take their opportunity under Klopp's new setup instead of taking a squad place at 35, regardless of how well he was still performing for Brighton. His recent form had given him little reason to step away on performance grounds.

He had been directly involved in goals in nearly every appearance for Brighton this season, and that run continued with the performance that followed his announcement. Groß's decision brings a relatively short international career to an end.

Groß received his first Germany call-up at 32, which came later than usual, and went on to win 19 caps and score one goal. He featured at Euro 2024 and this year's World Cup before deciding to retire from international football.

How Pascal Groß Inspired Brighton's Win Over Arsenal

Groß's performance at the Amex went beyond the announcement itself. He opened the scoring before Charalampos Kostoulas added a second, with Andrés then converting Groß's assist to complete the 3-0 win.

Speaking after the match, Groß said: "We showed great intensity, waited for mistakes, and punished Arsenal." He added that Brighton had "won the ball high up and attacked really fast", highlighting the way they pressed Arsenal and attacked quickly.

Groß said the win was Brighton's third in a row and that the squad wanted to end the run of games strongly before the international break.

With his Germany career over, Groß can now focus solely on Brighton during the club season.

What Groß's Retirement Means for Brighton and Germany

For Brighton, Groß will now be available throughout the club season without international call-ups interrupting his schedule.

He returned to the club in January after 18 months at Borussia Dortmund and has since become an important part of Fabian Hurzeler's team. His form since then has made him central to results under Fabian Hurzeler.

For Germany, Klopp's first squad showed a move towards younger players. Manuel Neuer and Antonio Rüdiger had retired from international football after the World Cup, while several younger players were included in his 44-man squad.

Groß's retirement adds another experienced player to the departures from the German squad. Klopp will now begin preparing his team for Nations League matches against the Netherlands, Greece, and Serbia in the coming weeks.