Massimo Luongo, an Ipswich Town midfielder, has announced his retirement from the Australian national team.
Massimo Luongo, a midfielder for Ipswich Town, has announced his retirement from the Australian national team.
In the 2015 Asian Cup final, he scored for Australia, earning him 45 caps.
If chosen for the Asian Cup in January and February of the following year, he might have missed a portion of Ipswich’s campaign for promotion to the Premier League.
The 31-year-old stated, “I have got to prioritize managing my body as my career goes on. This has not been a decision I have taken lightly.”
Luongo participated in two World Cups as well, but injuries derailed his international career. Nevertheless, he was called back to the team for the first time in four years in October during Australia’s victory over New Zealand at Brentford.
He continued, “To be honest, there were many times in the last few years when I felt my international career had passed me by. It was a tremendously frustrating time to be on the sidelines so regularly.”
“Reentering camp was an incredible experience, and being able to play against New Zealand again was a very special time for my family and me.”
Following the cancellation of his contract with Middlesbrough, Luongo joined Ipswich in January and contributed to their promotion from League One the previous year.
This season, he has made 24 appearances and scored twice. Ipswich has won 16 of their 22 games and lost just two, keeping pace with leaders Leicester City at the top of the Championship.
Australia’s head coach Graham Arnold said of the player, “He is been through the highs and lows of football and throughout his career has shown us his prodigious talent, his incredible professionalism, and his qualities as a leader.”
“We were overjoyed to see him fit again and settle into a club where he was playing well and loving football after a difficult period of injuries.
“Having him back in camp and working with some of our young midfielders was fantastic; I know they learned a lot from that experience.”
