Batistuta calls it a day

Argentina striker Gabriel Batistuta has confirmed his retirement from international football.

After being eliminated from the first round of the World Cup following yesterday’s 1-1 draw with Sweden, Batistuta said: ‘‘I expected a different goodbye. I feel a lot of anger, a lot of pain for having to do it this way.

‘‘I’m too old to keep playing in the national team. The coach will have to look for other players.’’

‘Batigol’ is the top striker in Argentina’s history, with 56 goals in 78 internationals. He scored 10 goals in World Cup Finals, another record for the national team.

At the end of the match, a tearful Batistuta said: ‘‘We deserved to win this match, and against England too. But you don’t deserve matches, you have to score.’’

Batistuta admitted he was sad to quit but had no regrets.

‘‘From the first to the last match, the ball didn’t want to go into the goal,’’ he added.