Axel Witsel, a midfielder for Belgium, declared his retirement from international competition on Friday.
The Atletico Madrid player, 34, stated on social media, “After careful consideration, it is with great emotion that I have taken the decision to retire from international football.”
Witsel makes the same decision to give up the national jersey as fellow players in their 30s Eden Hazard, Toby Alderweireld, and number two custodian Simon Mignolet.
Witsel has participated in more games for Belgium than anyone other than Jan Vertonghen, who has 147 caps.
The defensive midfielder was left off Domenico Tedesco’s roster in March for the team’s opening Euro 2024 qualification match against Sweden.
By removing ten of the 26 members of the team that lost in the group stage of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, Tedesco demonstrated his desire to revitalise the group.
As he thanked everyone who had helped him on the national squad, Witsel tweeted on Friday, “good luck to the new generation.”
“It is important for me to spend more time with my family and focus on my club,” he said.
Witsel is a Belgian who speaks French. He started out in the professional game with Standard Liege. In March 2008, he scored his first goal for Belgium. The 2014, 2018, and 2022 World Cups, as well as the 2016 and 2020 Euros, all included him. He was a member of the 2018 World Cup squad that finished third, giving Belgium its best World Cup finish.
From Borussia Dortmund, he transferred to Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2022.
