Chelsea attacking midfielder Hakim Ziyech has announced his retirement from international football with Morocco.
Ziyech hasn’t featured for ‘Atlas Lions’ since June last year and was left out from the Moroccan squad that participated in the just-ended Africa Cup of Nations held in Cameroon.
The 28-year-old footballer also missed all six group-stage fixtures in Morocco’s World Cup qualifying campaign.
“I will not return to the national team, and this is my final decision,” said the former Ajax Amsterdam player.
“I am focussing on what I am doing with my club.
“Everyone has seen what happened in the last period.
“I am sad but this is my final decision.
“The coach of the national team made his decision, and in any case I respect it. My focus now, as I said, is only on Chelsea.”
In his international career, he has amassed 39 caps for the North Africans and found the back of the net on 17 occasions.
