John Terry last night sensationally retired from international football just hours before a Football Association hearing over his alleged racist abuse of another player was expected to begin.
The 31-year-old Chelsea captain claimed the FA made his position ‘untenable’ ahead of Monday’s hearing over the well-known incident involving Anton Ferdinand of Queens Park Rangers.
Terry, who made his international debut in 2003 and appeared for England on 78 occasions, was twice stripped of the captaincy for off-field reasons and said his decision ‘breaks my heart’.
He said in an emotional statement: ‘I am today announcing my retirement from international football. I would like to thank the England managers who have selected me for my 78 caps.
‘I have had great pleasure in sharing that honour with all the players that I've played with. I would like to thank them, the fans and my family for their support and encouragement during my international career.
‘Representing and captaining my country is what I dreamed of as a boy and it has been a truly great honour. I have always given my all and it breaks my heart to make this decision.
‘I want to wish (England manager) Roy (Hodgson) and the team every success for the future.
‘I am making this statement today in advance of the hearing of the FA disciplinary charge because I feel the FA, in pursuing charges against me where I have already been cleared in a court of law, have made my position with the national team untenable.
‘I now look forward to playing for Chelsea FC, and challenging for domestic and European honours, and I want to thank the fans and the club for their continued support.’
His decision leaves Hodgson with a selection headache heading into next month's World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Poland.
Terry has a very colourful history as a footballer. He was one of four players fined two weeks' wages by Chelsea in 2001 after their behaviour at a London Heathrow Airport hotel was criticised on the day after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
One year later Terry and Chelsea team-mate Jody Morris were cleared on a charge of assault and affray in connection with a nightclub incident.
Terry, uncapped at the time, was ruled out of the World Cup after the FA decided he should not be considered for international duty with England until the legal case is completed.
In November 2006 he was charged with improper conduct by the FA for comments about referee Graham Poll.
He later admitted the charge, and was reprimanded and fined £10,000.
In December 2009 Chelsea defended Terry after allegations he took secret cash payments to lay on a behind-the-scenes tour of the club's training ground.
In January 2010 he was named as the sportsman behind a gagging injunction over his private life.
A court order had previously been in place, covering an alleged relationship between married Terry and French model Vanessa Perroncel - a former partner of teammate Wayne Bridge.
One month later he was axed as England captain following a meeting with then-manager Fabio Capello. In the same month Bridge refused to shake his hand before Chelsea's match with Manchester City.
But in March 2011 he was restored to the role of permanent England captain by Capello.
Last October he released a statement denying he made a racist slur against Anton Ferdinand during Chelsea's defeat at QPR after videos had circulated on the internet.
But Scotland Yard said they were assessing allegations of racist abuse by Terry after a complaint from the member of the public. Police later confirmed they had launched a formal investigation.
In this February, Terry was stripped of the England captaincy for a second time after he was ordered to stand trial for racially abusing Ferdinand in July, after the Euro 2012 tournament had finished.
But Capello resigned as England manager two days after criticising the decision to strip Terry of the captaincy by members of the 14-strong FA board, without consulting him.
Terry was cleared at court of making a racist insult to Ferdinand, but later charged by the FA with using abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards him. Terry denies the charge.
Former England striker Gary Lineker tweeted tonight: 'Whatever you think about John Terry, he always gave his absolute all on the field for England. A strong leader and great defender.'
The FA tonight were not willing to comment on the news.
The 31-year-old Chelsea captain claimed the FA made his position ‘untenable’ ahead of Monday’s hearing over the well-known incident involving Anton Ferdinand of Queens Park Rangers.
He said in an emotional statement: ‘I am today announcing my retirement from international football. I would like to thank the England managers who have selected me for my 78 caps.
‘I have had great pleasure in sharing that honour with all the players that I've played with. I would like to thank them, the fans and my family for their support and encouragement during my international career.
‘Representing and captaining my country is what I dreamed of as a boy and it has been a truly great honour. I have always given my all and it breaks my heart to make this decision.
‘I want to wish (England manager) Roy (Hodgson) and the team every success for the future.
‘I am making this statement today in advance of the hearing of the FA disciplinary charge because I feel the FA, in pursuing charges against me where I have already been cleared in a court of law, have made my position with the national team untenable.
‘I now look forward to playing for Chelsea FC, and challenging for domestic and European honours, and I want to thank the fans and the club for their continued support.’
His decision leaves Hodgson with a selection headache heading into next month's World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Poland.
Terry has a very colourful history as a footballer. He was one of four players fined two weeks' wages by Chelsea in 2001 after their behaviour at a London Heathrow Airport hotel was criticised on the day after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
One year later Terry and Chelsea team-mate Jody Morris were cleared on a charge of assault and affray in connection with a nightclub incident.
Terry, uncapped at the time, was ruled out of the World Cup after the FA decided he should not be considered for international duty with England until the legal case is completed.
In November 2006 he was charged with improper conduct by the FA for comments about referee Graham Poll.
He later admitted the charge, and was reprimanded and fined £10,000.
In December 2009 Chelsea defended Terry after allegations he took secret cash payments to lay on a behind-the-scenes tour of the club's training ground.
In January 2010 he was named as the sportsman behind a gagging injunction over his private life.
A court order had previously been in place, covering an alleged relationship between married Terry and French model Vanessa Perroncel - a former partner of teammate Wayne Bridge.
One month later he was axed as England captain following a meeting with then-manager Fabio Capello. In the same month Bridge refused to shake his hand before Chelsea's match with Manchester City.
But in March 2011 he was restored to the role of permanent England captain by Capello.
Last October he released a statement denying he made a racist slur against Anton Ferdinand during Chelsea's defeat at QPR after videos had circulated on the internet.
But Scotland Yard said they were assessing allegations of racist abuse by Terry after a complaint from the member of the public. Police later confirmed they had launched a formal investigation.
In this February, Terry was stripped of the England captaincy for a second time after he was ordered to stand trial for racially abusing Ferdinand in July, after the Euro 2012 tournament had finished.
But Capello resigned as England manager two days after criticising the decision to strip Terry of the captaincy by members of the 14-strong FA board, without consulting him.
Terry was cleared at court of making a racist insult to Ferdinand, but later charged by the FA with using abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour towards him. Terry denies the charge.
Former England striker Gary Lineker tweeted tonight: 'Whatever you think about John Terry, he always gave his absolute all on the field for England. A strong leader and great defender.'
The FA tonight were not willing to comment on the news.
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