Yobo retires from Super Eagles

Yobo scored an own goal in the match against France.

The Captain of Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles, Joseph Yobo, has announced his retirement from the national team.

Yobo’s retirement is coming on the heels of the Super Eagles’ ouster from the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil having suffered a 2-0 defeat against France in the second Round.

The 33-year-old defender will go down in history as the first Nigerian to play 100 international matches.

He also is the first Nigerian to play 10 World Cup matches but sadly capped it with an own goal in added time against Les Bleus on Monday.

“It was a bitter-sweet moment for me but I think it is time to focus on my family,” Yobo told reporters. “It has been a long road.”

The former Everton and Norwich defender featured for the Eagles at three World Cups and won the Africa Cup of Nations as captain last year.

“We’ve won the Africa Nations Cup and we came here and were not disgraced,” said Yobo who started out as a striker.

“I never thought that I’d be here because I missed the last six games of the season through injury. They gave me an opportunity but it is unfortunate what happened.

“I gave my all,” he said.

Yobo, however, thinks that he’s leaving the national team in capable hands with the duo of defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Godfrey Oboabona able to continue in his place.

“They would grow,” he said. “Omeruo has done very well. Oboabona was injured but he got his chance at the Nations Cup. They’re going to get better, the experience is going to come and one of them has to take the responsibility and be a leader,” Yobo concluded‎.