Manchester United centre-back Jonny Evans has announced his retirement from international duty with Northern Ireland, 18 years after making his senior international debut.
Evans got his 107th and final cap during a friendly defeat at the hands of Spain in June. From the year 2022 she was regular captain of her country.
As chance would have it, face it Spain sanctioned his international career after his first international appearance against the same opposition in September 2006. Evans played 90 minutes at left-back in a famous Northern Ireland victory over the future European and world champions .
He was actually an international with Northern Ireland before making his United debut, playing seven times before making his bow under Sir Alex Ferguson at club level. Loans at Royal Antwerp and Sunderland were what had brought him into the limelight before then.
Evans did not become a first-team regular at Old Trafford until 2008 and made 198 appearances in all competitions before his 2015 departure for West Bromwich Albion. He surprisingly returned to United last summer, initially offered a short-term deal to get his numbers back up in pre-season, but then handed a one-year contract and then a second until 2025.
But, aged 36 and ahead of the upcoming international breaks in September, October and November, Evans has made the decision to step away from Northern Ireland duty after “much thought and consideration”. In a statement on social networks, he described representing his country as a “privilege” and his “greatest honor” in football.
Evans was part of Northern Ireland’s Euro 2016 squad, the country’s first major tournament in 30 years, choosing that experience as his international highlight “without a doubt”.
The veteran defender started for Manchester United in the Community Shield earlier this month but has played just nine minutes in the Premier League, filling a supporting role behind Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire and summer signing Matthijs de Ligt as he winds down his career.
