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"Real Madrid's defender Luis Figo followed the example of his teammate Zinedine Zidane and decided to end his career with the national team. After this announcement, the career of the Portuguese star in the national team, where he played 110 matches and scored 31 goals with his number 7 jersey, comes to an end. 31-year-old Figo revealed his retirement in a written statement today, after meeting with the coach of the Portuguese national team, the Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari. The "Royal" Madrid defender admits that the decision to retire was "particularly difficult". The player also does not completely rule out the possibility of returning to the national team. "It's time to take a break. I'm not completely decided that it's forever. I have never refused to play for my country, but I feel that I need a break," says Figo, who also added: "There are moments in life when you are forced to make decisions, some of them are much easier. This one, for obvious reasons, is particularly difficult". Figo's international career began on October 12, 1991 with a match against Luxembourg. Since then, Figo has played in three European Championships and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Reflecting on those 15 years, the player says that during that time he gained a lot of valuable experience, helping him to mature and grow both as a footballer and as a person."
