After 31 goals in 75 international appearances, oft-criticized striker Gonzalo Higuain is ending his international career.
The 31-year-old, who was excluded from Argentina's recent friendlies against Venezuela and Morocco, removed himself from further consideration on Thursday.
"My cycle with the national team is over," Higuain said, according to Reuters. "Now I'm watching things from the outside, to the joy of many people.
"I spoke with (Argentina manager Lionel) Scaloni and gave him my point of view, the decision has been taken, it's what I think is the best thing for me."
Higuain was made the scapegoat for Argentina's failures at major tournaments. Critics eviscerated the striker when he missed big chances in both the 2014 World Cup final and 2015 Copa America final.
"People remember the goals I missed and not the ones I scored," Higuain added.
His final appearance with La Albiceleste came in a 2-1 win over Nigeria during the group stage of the 2018 World Cup.
He scored his last goal for Argentina in a 2-2 draw with Peru in October 2016.
Fellow attackers Lautaro Martinez, Dario Benedetto, and Matias Suarez were all favored for this month's exhibition matches.
Higuain, meanwhile, has struggled to find his groove since leaving Juventus in the summer. He cut short his loan spell at AC Milan in January to reunite with mentor Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea. But Higuain has yet to find success in England, scoring only three goals in 10 matches.
