Chelsea striker Gonzalo Higuain has announced his retirement from international football with Argentina, citing family reasons.

The 31-year-old, who joined Chelsea in January on a loan deal from Juventus, scored 31 goals in 75 appearances for the Albiceleste, with his last match a 2-1 win over Nigeria in the World Cup last June.

Explaining his decision in an interview with Fox Sports, Higuain said: “My time with Argentina is over. Thinking things through in depth, my time is up.

“To the delight of many, now I will only look at it from the outside. I have spoken to (manager Lionel) Scaloni and told him my point of view.

“I’ve made the decision because I want to enjoy my family, I want to spend time with my daughter, and at the same time, I feel that I gave my country everything I could.”

Higuain, who has scored three goals in 10 appearances since joining Chelsea towards the end of January, added: “I’m fully focused on my commitment to Chelsea.

“The Premier League is amazing and I really want to enjoy it. It’s very competitive indeed.”

*Copy provided by Press Association Sport

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