EPL star retires from international football

Image result for arthur crystal Palace player

Scotland midfielder James McArthur has announced his retirement from international duty.

The 31-year-old Crystal Palace player earned 32 caps for his country, scoring four goals across a seven-year international career. Having made his debut against the Faroe Islands in 2010, McArthur went on to establish himself in the Scotland senior setup at the heart of the midfield.

Image result for James McArthur

The former Hamilton player scored a memorable goal against then-world champions Germany in front of the Hampden faithful in 2015, whilst his final international goal came in a 3-0 victory away to Lithuania in the qualification campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

McArthur said: “It is with much regret that I feel the time has arrived for me to retire from international football. I have been part of the Scotland set up for the last ten years and I am extremely proud to have been selected to represent my country on 32 occasions. I have found it increasingly difficult over the last year to manage a number of physical issues. I have debated long and hard about this decision and I feel the only way for me to be able to maintain my fitness in order to continue to play at the top level is to retire from international football.”

Related image

“I would like to thank all the coaches, staff and fellow players with whom I have shared my Scotland career. It has been an honour. I wish Alex McLeish and his team every success in the future.”

Alex McLeish, Scotland National Team Head Coach, said: “James has been an integral member of the Scotland National Team since his debut back in 2010. We will miss James but we fully respect and understand his need to manage his body as he approaches the latter stages of his career. I know that James had his heart set on reaching the coveted 50-cap mark, so for him to retire from international football must have been an extremely difficult decision to make.”

Image result for James McArthur

“His goal against Germany will serve as one of a number of highlights in his international career. We wish him all the best for the future, he has been not only a valued team mate but a consummate professional throughout his Scotland career.

“The challenge now is for our other midfielders to step up into the breach and perform at the level at which James did for Scotland.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *