Article
Belgian keeper Stijnen retires
Belgium goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen, seen here in 2007, has retired from international football after new coach Dick Advocaat said he was no longer number one.
BRUSSELS (AFP) - Belgium goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen has retired from international football after new coach Dick Advocaat said he was no longer number one.
Stijnen, 28, called a press conference to announce his retirement which he said was due to "the bad mentality" around the team.
The FC Bruges stopper was capped 30 times and had been a regular since May 2006.
Advocaat, who took over on September 22, said last week that Stijnen was no longer "the absolute number one" but he had included him in the squad for World Cup qualifiers against Turkey on October 10 and Estonia four days later.
Belgium can no longer qualify for the finals.
Click here for betting.
Comments (0)