
Tim Sparv, who captained Finland to their first major finals at Euro 2020, announced his retirement from football on Monday.
“I have given everything that I was physically able to and gone as far as I possibly could,” the 34-year-old said in a video message.
Sparv made his debut for Finland in 2009 and went on to win 84 caps, helping the “Eagle Owls” to make history as they qualified for their first-ever major finals.
He led them against Denmark in the Euro 2020 opener, a game they won but which was overshadowed by the collapse on the field of Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen, who suffered a heart attack.
Finland went on to lose to Russia and Belgium to finish third in their group, missing out to the Danes on goal difference for a place in the last 16.
The midfielder, who spent six seasons at Danish Superliga club Midtjylland, scored only once for Finland, during a 2012 friendly against Northern Ireland.
“At least I got one!” Sparv joked in his farewell video.