Arda Turan has retired from international football after making a physical and verbal attack on a journalist traveling with the Turkish national squad.

As reported by BBC Sport, the Barcelona player Arda Turan had tense relations with media in Turkey throughout his whole career, but the things have escalated this week with Turan openly assaulting a journalist.

Bilal Mese, a senior journalist for Milliyet, published a couple of pieces during Euro 2016 where he questioned Arda Turan over a pay dispute and accused him of disturbing the squad’s harmony.

The Turkey captain obviously hasn’t forgiven him for what he was writing and after noticing him on board the team’s plane there was no holding back.

While speaking to reporters at Turkey’s training camp in Slovenia, Turan admitted he made an error in judgement. “I made a mistake while wearing the national team uniform. It was something that should not have happened on the national team plane. Do I regret it? No, because I never forgot what was said about me.”

The Turkey coach Fatih Terim expelled him from the squad after the incident and the player has since decided to retire from international football.

“I am putting an end to my national team career. I am speaking as someone who has served at every level of the national team, who loves his country and is in love with this jersey,” said Turan.