Sawt Falasteen - Czech striker Schick ends international career

The 30-year-old Leverkusen forward played all three games for the Czechs at the tournament and did not score as the team earned a single point for a draw with South Africa in Group A.

The injury-prone Schick has scored 26 goals in 56 games for the national team since his 2016 debut.

"My international career has come to a close today," Schick wrote on Instagram.

"This decision is not impulsive and did not emerge out of nowhere. It is an idea I have been nursing and contemplating for a long time," he added.

Schick started his career at Sparta Prague and played for Sampdoria, AS Roma and Leipzig before joining Leverkusen in 2020.

He made a mark at Euro 2020, becoming the tournament's top scorer with five goals alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

His second goal against Scotland at the tournament, a curling lob from 50 metres that caught goalkeeper David Marshall way out of his goal, made Euro history.

"I am leaving proud of what I have achieved in the Czech Republic shirt, but also feeling that Czech football can do MUCH MUCH better than it has shown in recent years," Schick said.

"We need to face the truth and change a number of things that don't work," he added, joining a chorus of critics after the Czech Republic's speedy World Cup exit.

"I'm not saying this out of anger or frustration. I'm saying this because I care about Czech football," said Schick.

R.Shaban--SF-PST