The top scorer of the Syrian national football team Firas Al-Khatib has announced his retirement from playing for two decades.
Khatib is Syria's top scorer with 37 goals, four ahead of former international striker Raja Rafi.
He is also one of seven players in the world who have made six appearances for the World Cup qualifiers, from 2002 to 2022.
Al-Khatib's 36-year-old retirement was announced on MBC on Sunday night, days after coach Fajr Ibrahim told AFP that the player was out of his account.
"Firas al-Khatib has retired from football today, clubs and internationals," the striker said.
"A month ago when I was thinking of retiring, most people advised me not to retire, but for me I see that (what I have done so far) is enough," he said, stressing his respect for Ibrahim's decision not to call him because he is not associated with any club.
Khatib stressed that he retires "as a player because I will not leave football, and may work as a coach, as an assistant or analyst, saying that" any step in the future needs to study. "
Ibrahim said last week that Khatib was out of his account in the joint qualifiers for the World Cup 2022 and the Asian Cup 2023.
The team will play its next two matches in Group A in the Asian qualifiers, the first against the Maldives on October 10, and the second against Guam on 15.
Al-Khatib defended several Syrian clubs in his career, which started at Al-Karama Al-Homsi Club, before he went through an Arab experience during which he moved between different clubs, most notably in Kuwait, where he has since defended the colors of the Arab, Kuwait and Salmiya with whom he spent the last two seasons.
During his career, he also had an experience with China's Shanghai Xinhua.
Khatib left the team following his announcement of support for opponents of President Bashar al-Assad in July 2012, and returned to his ranks in late 2017 to participate in the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup Russia with the badge of leadership.