Patrik Schick ends Czechia career after World Cup exit, calls for major change | OneFootball

Patrik Schick has ended his Czechia career at 30, announcing his international retirement in the wake of a 0-3 defeat to Mexico that confirmed Czechia's World Cup exit on Thursday morning.

In a message on Instagram, he said the call had not been made overnight and that he had thought about it for a long time. He added he was proud of his service, but felt Czech football has far more to offer and that many entrenched problems need changing.

The Bayer Leverkusen striker leaves as the national team's third-highest scorer, with 26 goals in 56 caps.

The former AS Roma forward lit up Euro 2021, finishing as joint top scorer on five alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, as Czechia reached the quarter-finals.

His decision, delivered immediately after elimination, caught many by surprise and leaves the national team without one of its best scorers.

Source: L'Équipe