Barcelona striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, has announced his retirement from international football.

The 32-year-old striker, who played 72 times for Gabon, is the country’s all-time leading scorer with 30 goals.

Gabonese Football Federation said it received a letter from Aubameyang on Tuesday informing it of his decision.

He wrote: “After 13 years of pride in representing my country, I announce that I am ending my international career.

“I would like to thank the Gabonese people and all those who have supported me in the good like the bad times.

“I will keep a lot of good memories like the day I made my debut at romnisports, or the day I came back from Nigeria with the African Ballon d’Or.

“I would also like to thank all my coaches, staff, and the players that I have come across during this career.

READ ALSO: Aubameyang to Arsenal fans: It hurts saying goodbye

“Finally, I thank my father who gave me the desire to do like him, hoping to have made him proud by wearing our colours,” the former Arsenal player stated in an open letter to Gabon fans.

With Aubameyang as the captain of the team, Gabon reached the quarter-finals of the 2012 African Cup of Nations to equal their best performance in international competitions.

Aubameyang’s last tournament with Gabon was a bitter disappointment, though, when he contracted COVID-19 at the start of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon and had to withdraw from the tournament without playing a game after being diagnosed with heart lesions.

He, however, announced his decision to retire from international football two weeks before Gabon start their qualifying campaign for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

The Star