Andres Guardado, the midfielder for Mexico, has retired from international football after 16 years of playing, the Real Betis player revealed on Tuesday. Andres Guardado
Having made his debut in 2005, the 36-year-old has played in five World Cups and is Mexico’s most-capped player, having made 181 appearances.
“Thank you for everything I have experienced in these 16 years, it is impossible to express in words how grateful and privileged I feel,” Guardado wrote on Instagram.
“Heartfelt thanks to my teammates, all the staff who are an important part of the day-to-day and of course, all the loyal fans who accompanied me during all these years … I am now one more of you!”
Guardado’s final game for Mexico was a 2-0 group-stage loss to Argentina at the last World Cup, where he also served as the captain for the last time.
The Guadalajara native has played in Europe since 2007, starting with Spain’s Deportivo La Coruna. Guardado has also played for Valencia, Bayer Leverkusen, and PSV Eindhoven.