Terry calls time on England

Chelsea captain John Terry has announced his decision to retire from international football after winning 78 caps for his country.

Terry revealed his decision to drop out of the fold for international selection last night after nine years of service for the Three Lions. The 31-year-old has a led the national side 34 times until he was stripped of the captaincy by Fabio Capello just before his departure and replacement by Roy Hodgson. He made his debut in 2003, coming on as a substitute for Gareth Southgate in the friendly against Serbia and Montenegro. The defender played in four major international tournaments- European Championships in 2004 and 2012 and World Cups in 2006 and 2010. The Chelsea man will always have a place in the national history books as he was the first senior England player to score an international goal at the new Wembley Stadium with a header against Brazil. "I want to wish [England manager] Roy [Hodgson] and the team every success for the future," said Terry. "I now look forward to playing for Chelsea and challenging for domestic and European honours, and I want to thank the fans and the club for their continued support."