Schick ‌was one of the stars at the 2020 European Championship, finishing as joint top scorer with Cristiano ‌Ronaldo on five goals. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Czech Republic striker Patrik Schick announced his retirement ​from international football on Thursday, a ‌day after the country exited ​the World Cup in the ⁠group stage.

“This decision is not impulsive, nor did it come about overnight. It’s ‌an idea I’ve been carrying with me for quite ‌some time and one I’ve ‌thought ⁠long and hard about,” he ⁠wrote on Instagram.

The 30-year-old played 56 times for the national team, scoring 26 ​goals.

Schick ‌was one of the stars at the 2020 European Championship, finishing as joint top scorer with Cristiano ‌Ronaldo on five goals.

He ​also won the Goal of the Tournament award for ⁠a superb long-range strike against Scotland.

However, he failed to net in ‌the three group games at the 2026 World Cup and was dropped for the final game, coming on as a second-half substitute.

The Czechs finished bottom of ‌Group A with one point from three ​games.

“I’m leaving proud of what I’ve achieved in the national ⁠team jersey,” he added. “At the same ⁠time, however, I feel that Czech soccer has much, much ‌more to offer than it has shown in recent years.” 

Published on Jun 25, 2026