Nemanja Nikolić announced on Facebook Thursday (May 3) that he informed leaders of the Hungarian National Team of his decision to retire from international competition.
Nikolić, a member of the Hungarian National Team setup since 2013, has earned 27 caps and scored five goals in his national team's shirt, most recently appearing during an international friendly vs. Kazakhstan in March. But Nikolić, 30, is opting to prioritize his club responsibilities with the Fire as well as his role as a husband and father to two young children here in Chicago.
- See Also: Niko receives Best XI hardware
In his announcement, Nikolić speaks to the difficulty of the decision but also his appreciation for the understanding and professionalism shown to him by the federation's chief executive and head coach in the wake of the news.
See below for the Google-translated version of the striker's Facebook post:
"It is difficult to shut down any era that is particularly important to man: I am very grateful for the years I have spent on the National National Football Team. I've never regretted anything. I'd do it the same way I did when I decided to become a hungarian citizen because I was hoping to introduce myself to the national team. I got a lot of Hungarian football, and I think I gave it to Hungarian football. I am proud of every game that I have entered, and I am grateful to those who have trusted me, including the Hungarian team's fantastic fans, who have held on to the team in the difficult times. I was able to draw a lot of strength from the love of the fans, and I felt that they supported me for better or worse and stood by me.
I have made a difficult decision, but I think this is the right move, from now on, I want to focus exclusively on my club career, and I am trying to continue to represent the hungarian football abroad. My decision was first given to the president of I, the president of the I, who I thank you for taking my decision very correctly. I also informed the federal captain, who also understood and accepted that I had decided. I'm a perfectionist, I never fell back, so, of course, I know it could have been a lot more in my national career. But I don't have any bad memories or bitterness, it's just that I want to spend all my energy on club football in the future, and I want to spend as much time as possible with my family in the United States. A professional player rarely talks about it honestly, but at this moment, maybe I can tell you that I want to be a good family father, and that takes time."
