Chelsea striker quitting international football

As the footballing world comes to terms with the announcement from Gonzalo Higuain quitting the international stage, the Chelsea striker will have to live with an unwanted tag.

Higuain has performed well for his national team but he has been haunted by his misses in the finals of major tournaments for the Argentine national team.

The 31-year-old is the sixth all-time goalscorer for the Argentina national team with 31 goals in 75 games to put into context what he has been able to achieve for the team.

He’s just three goals short of the legend Diego Maradona who’s in fifth place.

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In addition, Higuain is only the third Argentine player to score a treble at a World Cup tournament after Guillermo Stabile and Gabriel Batistuta.

Despite his numerous achievements, Higuain has been labelled as the man who prevented the great Lionel Messi from winning an international tournament.

Higuain, Messi and Argentina lost three successive finals between 2014 and 2016 including the 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament in Brazil and the Chelsea striker played a big part in all of those finals.

Gonzalo Higuain ends his sojourn on the international stage after nine years with the La Albiceleste since he made his debut against Peru in 2009.