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Steven Gerrard RETIRES from international football after World Cup disappointment
England captain Steven Gerrard has ended his international career to focus on Champions League glory with Liverpool.
Gerrard, 34, won 114 caps for England, scoring 21 goals in the 14 years since his debut.
The Liverpool midfielder captained his country at the World Cup in Brazil this summer but they went out in the group stage and he has decided to call it a day on the international stage.
Gerrard, who is England's third most capped player ever, behind David Beckham and Peter Shilton, said: 'I have enjoyed every minute of representing my country and it is a sad day for me knowing that I won’t pull on the England shirt again.
'However, I do look forward to continuing my strong relationship with the FA and helping out in any way I can going forward.
'I’d like to firstly thank my family and friends for all their support throughout my England journey.
'I’d also like to thank everyone who has been part of my international career, from the England managers I’ve played under to the staff at the FA and, of course, all the players I’ve been fortunate to play alongside.
'In particular, the supporters have been amazing, not least in Brazil when they got behind the team despite the disappointing results.
'I’d especially like to thank Roy [Hodgson], firstly for giving me the captaincy permanently when he took the job, making me the proudest man in the country and allowing me to fulfill my childhood dream.
'He has been very understanding over the past few weeks and is a man I will always hold in the highest regard.
'This has been a very difficult decision, one of the toughest I’ve had to make in my career.
'I have agonised over this since coming back from Brazil and have spoken to family, friends and people close to me in the game before coming to this point.
'Most importantly, Brendan [Rodgers] has been fantastic and obviously I have to look after my body as much as possible to ensure I can give everything when I take to the field.
'To ensure I can keep playing to a high level and giving everything to Liverpool Football Club I believe this is the right decision, and having Champions League football back at Anfield is another big factor in my decision.'
'I do feel as if I could probably still play for England in September, October, November, I'm still in great physical condition,' Gerrard continued.
'But - big picture-wise - over the next two, three, four years, the best thing for my body where I stand now is to step aside out of the international fold'
'The most important thing for me was not to make an emotional decision or rash decision. I was asked questions before during and after the World Cup to make a decsion on my future and it wasn't the right time.
'It was important that I came away from football, I had some time to be alone, time to be with my close family and friends and basically discuss and talk about what's going to be the best decision for me moving forward.
'The first time I spoke to Roy properly was this week, I had tried to have an initial chat with him straight after the World Cup but I was too emotional to talk to him, I was still very upset with how the World Cup went.
'What I'll always remember the supporters for is the reception the fans gave me straight after the Costa Rica game - we'd just gone out of the World Cup at the first stage, it hadn't gone well for myself personally or the team and they gave me an unbelievable reception and that's what's sticking in my mind.
'I'd have loved nothing better than to carry on and continue to fight for the England fans moving forward but there is a time when you're a football player where you've got to make the right decision, when you've got to be selfish.'
Having made his debut under Kevin Keegan in 2000, Gerrard played in six major tournaments, scoring twice in the 2006 World Cup as England reached the quarter-finals.
His career was always dogged by an inability to thrive alongside Frank Lampard in the centre of midfield, but he will be fondly remembered for a 20-yard strike against Germany during the 5-1 win in 2001, and a superb strike against Trinidad in the 2006 World Cup.
However he was also part of the England team that lost 3-2 to Croatia at Wembley to miss out on qualification to Euro 2008, and captained his country during their turgid 2010 World Cup campaign in the absence of Rio Ferdinand.
Having been made permanent skipper by Roy Hodgson, he started both of England's meaningful games in Brazil as they lost to Italy and Uruguay to exit the World Cup after two games for the first time ever.
A remarkable 110 of his 114 caps came from the start, and his 21 goals make leave him 20th on the all-time list of England goalscorers.
