Iran international Sardar Azmoun retires from national team

Iran international Sardar Azmoun retires from national team

- 23-year-old striker Sardar Azmoun has retired from international football

- The player was among the Iranian squad that crashed out at the 2018 World Cup

- He took the decision to quit international football following abuse he received which has made his mother sick

Iran striker Sardar Azmoun has been forced to hang his boots from international duties claiming his mother has become seriously ill because of the insults he has received from fans.

Despite his superb form before the start of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the 23-year-old failed to score a goal at the tournament as Iran crashed out in Group B.

Iran picked three points from their three games in Group B and finished behind Portugal and Spain who qualified for the round of 16 stages.

Sardar Azmoun arrived at the tournament in Russia on the back of 23 goals in 33 appearances, but he failed to score a goal and said the criticism he received made his mother ill.

"My mother had overcome a serious illness and I was happy

"Unfortunately because of the unkindness of some people, and the insults that me and my team-mates in no way deserved, her illness has become severe.

"This has put me in a difficult position where I must pick one or the other, and as a result I pick my mother." the Rubin Kazan striker explained according to BBC.

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Earlier, Legit.ng had reported how Iran were bundled out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup despite forcing Portugal to a 1-1 draw in their final Group B game in which a win would have helped them.

Ricardo Queresma scored the first goal for Portugal in the 45th minute, but Karim Ansarifard restored parity for Iran for the match to end in a draw.

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Source: Legit.ng

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