Lilian Thuram has announced his retirement from international football.
“I have decided to quit ‘Les Bleus’. I’m 32. I know I have already given France the best I could give,” the French defender told sports daily L’Equipe on Tuesday.
Thuram became France’s second most-capped player with 103 appearances, equal with Didier Deschamps, during Euro 2004.
“In two years time there will be another World Cup. Maybe some players will be performing better than me. It’s time they get ready. It’s the end of Thuram’s cycle,” he added.
A key member of France’s 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winning teams. Thuram scored just two goals in his lengthy international career. However, both were significant, coming in France’s 2-1 semi-final victory over Croatia in their 1998 World Cup semi-final.