Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has announced his decision to retire from international football with England at the age of 31.
Vardy is one of football’s greatest rags to riches stories, famously rising from non-league to Premier League Champion and England international.
In total the Sheffield born striker scored 7 goals in 26 appearances for the Three Lions, including an audacious back heel in a 3-2 friendly win over Germany and a hugely important equaliser against Wales in the 2016 European Championship.
“To be honest with you, this has been on my mind for a while,” Vardy told the Guardian.
Jamie Vardy's seven England goals by opposition:
⚽️ vs Germany
⚽️ vs Netherlands
⚽️ vs Turkey
⚽️ vs Wales
⚽️ vs Spain
⚽️ vs Lithuania
⚽️ vs ItalySome big names on there. pic.twitter.com/O5d8jRxEI0
— Squawka (@Squawka) August 28, 2018
“I’m not getting any younger and you can see, to be fair to the gaffer, he wants to make it more youthful, which obviously had its benefits during the World Cup – we got to the semi-finals and finished fourth, which is equal to the furthest we have ever been on foreign soil.
“So I just said to Gareth that I think it’s probably best from now on, especially with the way he wants to go, to bring youngsters in who he thinks have got the ability and start nurturing them into international football.”