Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has announced his retirment from international football.
The 29-year-old is reported to have grown disillusioned with representing Bulgaria amid recent criticism of his performances.
“It was a difficult decision but sometimes we have to take difficult decisions,” he said.
“I feel exhausted and now there are many guys who can emerge from my shadow. For them the moment has come. You should always know when to stop. Things have changed a lot since I was a 20-year-old. I have a family, a daughter now.
“I haven’t discussed it with my club team. I guess it will come out in England and Sir Alex [Ferguson] will call me. I needed a long time but there’s no way back. It’s over. There are many reasons behind my decision but I want to say I took it on my own and no one influenced it,” he said.
On his club future, Berbatov said: “I’m a Man Utd player, I want to stay there and I’ll fight for my place. I wake up happy every morning because I know I’m a United player. I don’t show my emotions but that doesn’t mean I’m not happy.”
Asked about speculation he could leave United, Berbatov said: “I don’t know anything about an offer from Milan or from any other club. Germany? There’s only one team I could play for there and it’s Bayer Leverkusen [his former club].”
Berbatov, Bulgaria’s captain for the last three years, has scored 48 goals in 74 international appearances and is the nation’s all-time leading scorer.
