Tottenham stalwart Hugo Lloris announced his retirement from international football on Monday evening, putting an end to his career as France's captain and first-choice goalkeeper. The shot-stopper had a 15-year stint with Les Bleus that ended with a World Cup and Nations League trophy.
While that haul is impressive for many, he will perhaps be aggrieved by the fact he got so close to the famous World Cup trophy for a second time in his career. France made it all the way to the 2022 final in Qatar, but fell to Argentina in a dramatic 3-3 draw that was decided by penalties.
"I've decided to stop my international career, with the feeling that I have given everything," Lloris told L'Equipe in a statement on his retirement. "I think it is important to announce this now, two-and-a-half months before the start of Euro qualifying. I have really been thinking about it since the end of the World Cup, but there has been something deep inside of me for maybe six months now and which grew during the competition, leading me to make this decision."
