Daley Blind calls it quits after 108 caps for Oranje

Daley Blind has ended his career as an international after 108 caps and says he plans to focus on his current club, Girona, and his family.

Blind, 34, told his 2.1 million followers on Instagram that he had taken the decision after a good chat with coach Ronald Koeman.

“It was an honour to wear the Oranje shirt 108 times,” the defender said. “Representing your country is as high as you can go as a player. For 11 years I have done all I could to keep wearing the shirt and it has brought me so much.”

Blind was part of the Dutch squad during the summer’s European championships but had little playing time and went off injured in the quarter finals.

He first played for Oranje in 2013, when the Dutch drew 1-1 against Italy. He is now fifth in the list of most capped Dutch players behind Wesley Sneijder (134), Edwin van der Sar (130), Frank de Boer (112) and Rafael van der Vaart (109).