PRAGUE (AP) 鈥� Czech Republic forward Patrik Schick announced his retirement from international soccer on Thursday, just hours after his team was eliminated from the World Cup.
鈥淭oday, my national team chapter is coming to an end,鈥� the 30-year-old Bayer Leverkusen player said in a statement on Instagram.
Schick made his debut in May 2016 against Malta in a friendly and won 56 caps, totaling 26 goals.
He scored on his debut but didn鈥檛 manage a goal at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Schick was used as a substitute in the last Group A game against co-host Mexico, a 3-0 loss that sent the Czechs home after finishing bottom of the group with a solitary point.
鈥淚 am leaving proud of what I have achieved in the national team jersey,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut at the same time with the feeling that Czech soccer has much more to offer than it has shown in recent years.鈥�
Schick also played at the last two European Championships. In the 2020 edition, he topped the scoring list on five goals alongside Portugal great Cristiano Ronaldo.
One of Schick’s finest goals was his second in a 2-0 victory over Scotland at Euro 2020. He spotted the goalkeeper off his line when he was just inside the halfway line before hitting a long, curling shot that bounced into the net.
The Czechs reached the quarterfinals in that tournament.
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