Emile Heskey has retired from international football after a
disappointing showing with England at the World Cup, where he
failed to score.
The Aston Villa striker had been Wayne Rooney's partner of
choice during the reign of Fabio Capello, but lost his place to
Tottenham's Jermain Defoe after the first two games in South Africa
this summer.
Thank you and good night: Heskey (left) shakes boss
Capello's hand in South Africa
Heskey won 62 caps for England, scoring just seven times, and
divided opinion among fans and pundits alike.
No 1 fan: Heskey's partner Chantelle Tagoe watches
in South Africa
'I have enjoyed every moment of my England career and worn the
shirt with pride every time I have been fortunate enough to have
been selected,' he said.
'I would like to thank every manager I have played under,
everyone at The FA and the fans for all their support over the
years.
'I wish the management team and the playing squad all the best
for the future.'
The 32-year-old started the matches against the United States
and Algeria at the World Cup but was dropped for the final group
game against Slovenia, when Defoe stepped in to score the only goal
in the must-win game.
While his contribution to the Three Lions cause was often
questioned by supporters, he remained a popular choice for several
England managers.
And despite a less than impressive strike-rate, he was a popular
foil for Rooney, who was able to feed of the strong big man's work
with his back to goal.
Heskey was handed his international debut by Kevin Keegan when
he came on for Kevin Phillips in the friendly against Hungary in
Budapest on April 28, 1999.
Target man: Heskey excelled with his back to
goal
He played in the European Championships of 2000 and 2004 and was
an ever-present at the 2002 World Cup, scoring against
Denmark in the first knockout round.
After a three-year break Steve McClaren brought him back into
the England fold and he won his 50th cap against Belarus in Minsk
in October 2008.
In addition to Villa, Heskey has also played club football for
Leicester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Wigan.