Tired of all the hate, and with his family as the main reason to back out, Gonzalo Higuaín has ended his international career.
The 31-year-old striker will not wear Argentina's jersey anymore, since he believes that he is past his prime and it's time for the next generation of strikers to claim a spot in the team's lineup. Furthermore, the scathing attacks he suffered from 2014 to 2018 were enough reason to bid farewell to La Albiceleste.
"I'm done. After thinking it long and hard, my time with the national team is over. I want to spend time with my family. So, in order to make those who hate me happy, I've decided to call it quits, just like other team-mates did. So, now you can stop worrying about whether I'm going to be included in the roster or not," Higuain said in an interview with Fox Sports.
Higuain (center) was blamed for Argentina's losses in the 2014 World Cup final and in the 2015 and 2016 Copa América finals against Chile, due to his blatant mistakes in front of goal.
"When you are viciously criticized like I was, it really hurts, but it's up to you to keep living with it. My family took a bigger toll than me. You can say that I lack this or that, but I always gave everything I had," Higuain stated.
"Pipita" revealed his disappointment for the lack of support found in his countrymen, mainly due to their constant mockery whenever he missed a chance.
"Scoring goals in World Cup Qualifying games is as relevant as scoring them in World Cup games. It's amazing how people talk more about the goals you missed than the ones you scored. I scored against Belgium in the FIFA World Cup Quarterfinals, and my critics surely screamed in joy with that goal. I know how this world works, and I've never meant to harm anyone on purpose," Higuain said.
Even if he was not able to win a major title with the team, Higuain has no regrets after his international career has officially ended.
"I enjoyed playing for the National Team and I did what I felt I had to do. The thing that makes me sad is that people don't talk respectfully about what you did, rather than focusing on what you didn't do. I was slammed back home. When your critics share tips to help, it works, but when you are called a 'dead beat', it is useless," Higuain concluded.
The striker retires from La Albiceleste as the sixth best striker of all time and third among active players. He scored five goals in 14 World Cup games, that is one less than Lionel Messi's tally.
