Highlights:
- Lloris announced his retirement decision from international football on Monday.
- The 36-year-old participated in three Euros and four World Cups.
- Lloris was praised by Deschamps for being a great servant for the France team.
Hugo Lloris, the 36-year-old captain of the France team, made his decision to leave international football on Monday.
Lloris led Les Blues to the World Cup championship in 2018 and has played for France in four World Cups, three Euros, and three Euros. The goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur guided his team to the World Cup championship game in Qatar, where they were defeated by Argentina on penalties.
With 145 appearances under his belt, the 36-year-old holds numerous records and is France’s most-capped player. For Les Blues, Lloris made his debut back in November 2008. Two years after making his international debut, he was given the opportunity to lead France in 121 games.
Didier Deschamps, the coach of France, spoke about Lloris’ decision to call it quits on his international career and expressed his support for the decision. Deschamps praised the 36-year-old and referred to him as a great servant of the France national team.
The France coach continued by thanking Lloris for his services to the team and stating that it was an honour and pleasure to be his trainer.
Didier Deschamps said, “Hugo has decided to retire while he is still at the top of his game. He shared his thoughts and decision with me a few days ago. I must, we must, respect it even if he still had his place in our team, as he demonstrated during the last World Cup, in Doha.”
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He further added, “A very great servant of the French team bows out and I want to salute his exceptional career. Beyond all the records that his talent and professionalism have allowed him to break, beyond the essential role he played in our greatest conquests, the 2018 World Cup, the 2021 Nations League, in our most beautiful journeys, the final of Euro 2016 and that of the 2022 World Cup.”
Deschamps continued by saying, “Hugo is a remarkable person on a human level. He was captain when I became coach in 2012, I kept the armband for him and I never had to regret it, quite the contrary. Hugo has a very high idea of the French team, he has always been oriented towards the collective, he has always put it forward, sometimes even to his detriment. It was a pleasure and an honor for me to be his trainer. I wish all coaches to have players like him to manage. Hugo has all my respect and gratitude. I wish him to be happy. A big thank you Hugo for having represented your country so well.”