Arsenal player announces international retirement

Arsenal midfielder Christian Norgaard has retired from international football, with Denmark missing out on the 2026 World Cup this summer.

Arsenal’s Christian Norgaard has confirmed on Instagram that he’s retiring from international football, deciding to focus on his family.

“I have decided to retire from the national team,” Norgaard wrote. “On the one hand, it has been a difficult decision, because there’s practically nothing I love more than checking in with teammates and staff at Marienlyst.

“And there’s practically nothing I love more than playing games in red and white in a sold-out, buzzing with anticipation Parken.

“On the other hand, it has been an easy decision because I would like to have more time with my family, and with the missed World Cup qualification it also feels natural now to make room for the talented and exciting talents, fortunately Denmark is still rich in.

“Now it’s finished. I’m looking forward to backing up as a fan, but no longer as a part of the squad. Thank you players, staff and fans for helping make a boy’s dream come true.”

As mentioned, Denmark missed out on qualifying for the World Cup at the final hurdle, defeating North Macedonia 4-0 in their play-off semi-final and playing out a 2-2 draw over 120 minutes in the final, only to lose 3-1 on penalties.

It was a heartbreaking way to miss out, and Norgaard never got the chance to take a penalty in the shootout. It was over after just four kicks each.

But with Norgaard now 32 years old, with 41 caps to his name, and no World Cup this summer, perhaps it is a good time to allow the country to move on to the next generation.

As a result, Norgaard won’t be involved in Denmark’s international break in June, with a friendly against DR Congo on the schedule. Instead, he’ll begin his summer holidays after Arsenal’s Champions League final on May 30th.

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