‘To be by my mother’s side’

Argentina playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme announced his international retirement on Wednesday at the age of 28, citing family reasons.

Riquelme, an elegant midfielder whose performances have split critics down the middle, said he had taken the shock decision because of his mother, who has been suffering from health problems.

“Since the World Cup, my mother has been taken to hospital twice and my responsibility is to take care of her,” said Riquelme.

“It was an easy decision to make. My family comes before the football,” said Riquelme, who captained the team which lost 3-0 to Brazil in a friendly this month, their first under new coach Alfio Basile.

“It will hurt me deeply not to wear the Argentina shirt again but my mother’s health comes first,” said Riquelme, who quit the team at an age when most players are at their peak.

Riquelme said he feared criticism of his Argentina performances may have worsened his mother’s health.

“There’s been a lot of bad blood and I don’t want to make her suffer,” he said.

“My mother is my mother and I can’t compare her with the Argentina shirt or anything else.”