Czech striker Patrik Schick retires from international football after World Cup exit

Forward Patrik Schick has unexpectedly ended his international career following the Czech Republic's elimination from the World Cup at the group stage. The 30-year-old, currently the national team's leading scorer, said on Instagram that he had been considering the decision for some time.

Schick made his senior debut for the Czech national team in May 2016. The Bayer Leverkusen striker earned 56 caps and scored 26 goals for his country.

At the ongoing tournament in the United States, Schick failed to find the net. He was also surprisingly left out of the starting lineup for the Czech Republic's final group match, a 3–0 defeat to Mexico.