Germany captain Lahm extends Bayern contract

Germany’s World Cup captain Philipp Lahm has agreed a new deal with Bayern Munich that will keep him at the Bundesliga champions until 2016, the club said Thursday.

“We are delighted that we were able to agree a long-term extension to the contract of such an important player in our team,” said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

The 26-year-old first played for Bayern in 1995 and apart from a two-year stint at Stuttgart from 2003 to 2005 has been at the German giants ever since, playing in 148 Bundesliga games and being substituted just once.

Lahm, who has been nominated for FIFA’s Ballon d’Or award, is currently also wearing the captain’s armband at Bayern while Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel recovers from injury. His contract had been due to expire in 2012.

The story is the same for the national side, where he has filled in for injured regular captain Michael Ballack, 34, since before the World Cup, in which Germany finished third.

Bayern are not having the best of seasons domestically, however, languishing seventh in the table and 10 points off surprise leaders Borussia Dortmund. This Saturday they travel to bottom-placed Moenchengladbach.

Their form in Europe, however, has been exemplary, taking four wins from four in the Champions League Group E and cruising to the knockout stages with a 4-0 drubbing of Romanian side Cluj on Wednesday.