Iconic face of Les Bleues for fifteen years, Amandine Henry announced her international retirement last month. The fault is mental wear and tear, according to the former Lyonnaise.
Antoine Griezmann was not the only star of the France team to call it quits this fall. It was the same for the girls of Amandine Henry, who decided to retire internationally after no less than fifteen years in blue, with 109 caps and 14 goals.
By her own admission, despite being 35 years old and in exile in Mexico, the decision was not easy for the midfielder to make.
“This is not a light decision, it has been carefully considered. The French team has been the common thread of my entire career. It was sacred. It was time to say goodbye and move on”she confided to the microphone of Club 360 on the Canal+ channels.
Amandine Henry victim of mental wear and tear
And for Amandine Henry, her choice to stop is more a result of mental weariness than a declining state of fitness.
“Physically, it’s okay, but mentally, you have to know how to say stop and not spend too many years”she explained, revealing that the new failure of the Blues in the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games had also weighed: “It was yet another disappointment. It counted in my decision, especially since I didn't have the opportunity to help my teammates and I told myself it was time to stop. »
These fifteen years of career nevertheless leave some regrets, first and foremost the absence of a title or even a medal.
“With a title, the decision would have been even easier to make. I think I gave my best, whether physically or mentally. I gave everything and I have nothing to regret. But mentally, I don't think we were ready to win this title. Something was always missing. The talent was there but unfortunately, we never managed to get this title,” she explained.
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