Benfica winger Rafa finished his career with the Portuguese soccer team, the soccer player reported on Monday, in a statement sent to the Portuguese agency.
“Today I informed the coach Fernando Santos and the FPF [Federação Portuguesa de Futebol] of my unavailability to represent the national team. I think this is an honest and correct decision at this point in my career. I ask that the reasons, of a personal nature, be respected by everyone ”, reads the message released by the player.
Rafa, 29, has 25 caps for the senior team, without scoring a single goal.
The Benfica striker made his debut with the ‘quinas’ team on March 5, 2014, in Leiria, in a 5-1 friendly win against Cameroon, under the command of Paulo Bento.
“I represented the national teams 40 times, I helped win Euro 2016 and the Nations League and I will always be in the front row supporting the team of all of us. League of Nations and in the 2022 World Cup”, concluded Rafa.
The FPF also said goodbye to the winger: “The FPF management respects Rafa’s decision, who lived with us the two great achievements of the team, the Euro2016 and the League of Nations. Rafa will always be one of us and he is creditor of our recognition and thanks”.
Source: TSF
