FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Euro 2024 Qualifier - Group B - Netherlands v Greece - Philips Stadium, Eindhoven, Netherlands - September 7, 2023 Netherlands' Daley Blind applauds the fans after the match REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw/File Photo
(Reuters) - Dutch defender Daley Blind on Wednesday announced his retirement from international football after winning 108 caps for the Netherlands.
"After a good conversation with the national coach, it is time to fully focus on my club and my family," he wrote on social media.
"It was an honour to wear the Oranje shirt 108 times, for me that is the highest achievable goal as a player: representing your country.
"For 11 years I have done everything I could to be able to keep wearing that beautiful Oranje shirt. It has given me so much, so much," he added.
The 34-year-old was only used once as a stoppage time substitute by Dutch coach Ronald Koeman during the European Championship in Germany in June-July. He made a cameo appearance in the last 16 against Romania in Munich but remained on the bench for the rest of the matches.
The Dutch reached the semi-finals at the tournament.
The former Ajax Amsterdam, Manchester United and Bayern Munich player said at the Euros he had come to terms with his role as a reserve.
"It is not an easy role, but I still think it is a great honour to play for the Dutch national team and to be at a European Championship," he said at the time.
Blind made his international debut in 2013 against Italy and is fifth on the list of players with the most matches for the Dutch.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
