Belgium player, Witsel, quits international football

By Daily Sports Nigeria on May 13, 2023

Belgium midfielder, Axel Witsel, on Friday, announced his retirement from international football.

“After careful consideration, it is with great emotion that I have taken the decision to retire from international football,” the 34-year-old Atletico Madrid player announced on social media.

Witsel follows fellow thirtysomethings Eden Hazard, Toby Alderweireld and the number two goalkeeper Simon Mignolet in deciding to hang up the national shirt.

Only Jan Vertonghen, with 147 caps, has played more games for Belgium than Witsel.

In March, the defensive midfielder was omitted by new coach Domenico Tedesco from the squad to face Sweden, in the first game of the Euro-2024 qualifiers

Tedesco showed his intention to rejuvenate the squad by discarding ten of the 26 players from the squad that was eliminated in the group phase at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

On Friday, on Twitter, Witsel wished “good luck to the new generation”, while thanking all those who have allowed him to ‘blossom’ in the national team.

“It is important for me to spend more time with my family and focus on my club,” he said.

A French-speaking Belgian, who began his professional career at Standard Liege, Witsel made a scoring debut for Belgium in March 2008. He played in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups and the 2016 and 2020 Euros. He was part of the team that gained Belgium’s best World Cup result with third place in Russia in 2018.

He joined Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2022 from Borussia Dortmund.

 

 

 

Source Punch Ng

Posted May 13, 2023


 

You may also like...
Valcke refutes "undue advantages" claim

Auba, Mahrez target Afcon glory

Giroud Fires Low-key Milan Top Of Serie A...

Awka Township Stadium On Completion Will Be Best...

Turkish Giants To Battle For Onyekuru’s Signature

Can Man Utd Remain New Year’s Day Kings...

 

Latest News Nigeria beat Cameroon to reach IHF final 27 schools for Doregos Basketball Championship Super Falcons to play France’s Les Bleues in friendly SWAN suspends ban on coverage of Anambra FA activities Joshua among boxing’s top three earners in 2024 Oshoala makes history with Bay FC Nnamani hails team over IHF bright start Flamingos lift U-17 W’Cup Fair Play Trophy Rangers Intl, SWAN partner on sports collaboration in SE LAGOS SWAN CELEBRATES AIG ZONE 2 ON HIS BIRTHDAY AND 30 DAYS IN OFFICE Traders Cup: Upholstery Soccer Team Secured 2nd Win To Advance To Round Two Lagos SWAN Celebrates Oba Akiolu, Iyaloja General, AIG Fayoade

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,141 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,269 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,350 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (43,991 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,931 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,879 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,718 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,288 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,332 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,035 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,489 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,916 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media