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In June, James McClean played against Gibraltar for the 100th time for the Republic of Ireland.
James McClean has declared that the friendly match between the Republic of Ireland and New Zealand on November 21 will be his last outing for his country.
In the June victory over Gibraltar, McClean, who relocated from Wigan to League Two Wrexham during the summer, won his 100th Republic cap.
The 34-year-old stated, “I am announcing my retirement from international football at the conclusion of the 2023 season.
McClean said that he had “spoken” about his choice with manager Stephen Kenny.
The New Zealand game in November at the Aviva Stadium will be the final time I will celebrate donning the green jersey as a player and will offer me the opportunity to say farewell to the finest supporters in the entire world.
Playing for the Republic, the Derry man continued, “has meant the absolute world.”
Absolutely nothing has ever come close. I sacrificed all I had to make sure that I did the jersey, the supporters, and the nation proud, and I always made sure to remember to never take anything for granted. Mc Clean, who has 11 international goals to his credit, continued, “I hope that showed.
The decision to stand down after this year will be heartbreaking, but I believe the time is appropriate to do so without any regrets.
Due to a change in his international eligibility, McClean, who had previously represented Northern Ireland at the junior and under-21 levels, made his Republic of Ireland debut against the Czech Republic in February 2012.
Following his match against Gibraltar in June, McClean became only the sixth player in the nation to earn a century of caps. He has subsequently made two more appearances for the Republic, who he represented at both Euro 2012 and Euro 2016.
The Wrexham player praised his family for their support during his Republic career in addition to thanking all of his international coaches, including Martin O’Neill, Mick McCarthy, and Kenny.
Later on Thursday, Kenny will reveal his starting lineup for this month’s Euro 2024 qualifying matches against Gibraltar and Greece.
