Euro 2020: Czech skipper Vladimir Darida says goodbye to his international career after losing in the quarterfinals

After losing in the quarterfinals with a score of 2: 1 against Denmark at Euro 2020, the captain of the Czech national team Vladimir Darida has ended his international career, the national team announced on Sunday.

The 30-year-old Hertha Berlin midfielder, who has scored eight goals in 76 international games, led the Czechs in all three group stage games at the Euro.

He missed the last-16 game against the Netherlands with an injury and came on as a late substitute in Saturday’s 2-1 quarterfinal loss to Denmark.

“The national team bid farewell to the Euro. I then bid farewell to my teammates,” Darida said on the Czech Football Association’s website.

Darida, who began his career at Viktoria Pilsen, and broke into the national team just before Euro 2012, at which he was part of a squad that reached the quarter-finals.

“In this last Bundesliga and international season, I have spent 140 days out of home because of games and training camps,” Darida said.

“I want to spend much more time with the family and my little son,” he added.

Thomas Delaney and Kasper Dolberg scored a goal each to give Denmark a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic and a spot in the European Championship semifinals. Denmark hasn’t gotten this far at a major tournament since winning the European title in 1992.

“There is nothing we should be ashamed of. We showed good performances, fighting spirit, we fought like the lions on our crest. That was obvious in today’s match also. It is a pity we could not equalise, because I believe that it would have turned our way then,” Darida had said following the defeat.

“Denmark are a great team. They defended well, and the early goal helped their tactics. It is so hard to get into them. It is just a pity,” added Darida.