I Wanted To Play Constantly For England – Vardy

Jamie Vardy has decided to step away from international football, telling England manager Gareth Southgate that he will “not shut the door completely” but would rather focus on club football.

Chelsea defender Gary Cahill is also set to make his exit from the national team, saying is is “the right moment” to take time away from international competition.

Vardy, 31, was part of England’s World Cup squad, but he told the Guardian that his infrequent appearances — four in seven games, with a start only in the final group-stage game against Belgium — contributed to the decision.

“When you get selected, you want to be playing,” Vardy said. “If you’re playing week in, week out for your club, you want to be going to England to play as well. And if it’s not happening, then for me personally now, at this age, it’s better to be at home, spending that time with my family and training with my club, preparing for the next game after the international break.”

Vardy signed a new contract at Leicester earlier this month, tying him to the club through the 2021-22 season.

He said he spoke with Southgate two weeks ago to inform him of his decision, and the two had a productive discussion in which he said he will be available to help the team only if there were a major injury crisis.

Vardy has won 26 caps for England and has been called up to every squad since his May 2015.

England’s Jamie Vardy during the World Cup group-stage game against Belgium. VI Images via Getty Images
“I’m not getting any younger and you can see, to be fair to the gaffer, he wants to make it more youthful, which obviously had its benefits during the World Cup — we got to the semifinals and finished fourth, which is equal to the furthest we have ever been on foreign soil,” Vardy said.

“So I just said to Gareth that I think it’s probably best from now on, especially with the way he wants to go, to bring youngsters in who he thinks have got the ability and start nurturing them into international football.”