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21-07-2014 04:34 PM |
Steven Gerrard retires from International Football
As a Liverpool fan I've been hoping for this for a couple of years, and I think for all three of us, Gerrard himself, and England the timing is right now..
Quote:
England captain Steven Gerrard has retired from international football after winning 114 caps.
Gerrard, 34, won his first cap in a 2-0 win over Ukraine in 2000 and made his last England appearance in a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica at the 2014 World Cup.
The Liverpool midfielder said: "I have enjoyed every minute of representing my country. It's a sad day for me."
Gerrard will now take on a "high profile" ambassadorial role with the Football Association.
He retires from international duty having scored 21 goals and played at six major tournaments.
"It was a very difficult decision to make," said Gerrard. "It's something I have been contemplating for a long time, not just since the end of the World Cup.
"I've had to take an awful lot of advice from people who are close to me - players that I still play with, ex-players who I played with a long time ago, managers who I played for years ago.
"It's been a really tough decision, certainly one of the toughest since I turned professional at 18."
England manager Roy Hodgson said: "While I'm disappointed, I can entirely understand Steven's situation and can have no complaints given the incredible service he has given to his country."
Gerrard will continue his club career with Liverpool, for whom he made his debut in 1998 against Blackburn Rovers.
He has spent his entire career at Anfield - winning the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.
"To ask my body now, the way it is and what it has been through, to play international and domestic football was too much of an ask," he added.
"I've made my decision on my age, on my body and being fair to Liverpool, especially with having the Champions League back - that was a huge factor."
Gerrard's first tournament as an England player was Euro 2000, and he went on to play in two more European Championships, in 2004 and 2012.
After missing the 2002 World Cup through injury, he played in three others, his first in Germany 2006, then as captain for both South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014.
BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty said: "Gerrard said he was 'broken' by England's exit from the World Cup after only two games and he was never going to be involved in Euro 2016.
"He had, by his own standards, a disappointing campaign in Brazil and it was clear his influence at this level was wavering."
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