BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgium’s most capped international Jan Vertonghen has retired from international football after 157 caps, he said on Friday.
“Thanks for all the memories. I have lived my dream,” the 37-year-old Vertonghen said in a short message on social media.
Vertonghen made his debut at the beginning of 2007, aged 20, in the European Championship qualifier that Belgium lost 2-1 at home to Portugal.
He had already served as occasional captain by the time he went to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where Belgium reached the quarter-finals, and was also in the side that reached the semi-finals in Russia four years later.
Vertonghen also competed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar where Belgium went out early.
He played in the last three European Championships, including their last 16 clash against France earlier this week where his unfortunate own goal in the latter stages of the match led to Belgium’s exit.
The central defender’s future at club level is unsure as his contract with Anderlecht expired at the end of last month. He previously played at RKC Waalwijk, Ajax Amsterdam, Tottenham Hotspur and Benfica.
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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