Celtic captain Callum McGregor retires from Scotland duty after 63 international caps

Celtic captain Callum McGregor has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 31.

McGregor, who earned 63 caps for Scotland and played at Euro 2024, said that he had reached a difficult decision and that representing his country had been “a huge honour”.

“I have made a decision which was very difficult, of course, but a decision which I feel is the right one at the right time,” McGregor said.

“It was very important I spoke to Steve and I did that this week to make him aware of my intentions. As I said to Steve, I just felt the time is right for me to move on from international football.

“It has been a huge honour to achieve 63 caps for my country, as appearing just once would have been a dream come true, so to achieve 63 and be inducted into the Roll of Honour at 50 caps is something I could only have dreamed of as a young kid.

“Throughout my career I wanted to make myself available for Scotland at all times and whenever selected, give the absolute maximum possible to help the country and represent the supporters with passion and pride.

“International football has been a really important part of my career where I have learned so much and achieved some incredible highs, that famous night in Serbia being one of the very best, and I have been blessed to share these experiences with some great people.

"A colossal contribution." 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Thank you, Cal. pic.twitter.com/TurEbK3ffx
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) August 9, 2024

“Playing for Scotland always meant so much to me and reaching two major tournaments will always be a source of real pride, and scoring at Hampden in the Euros in front of our fantastic supporters will always be a special highlight for me.

“Of course, like many others I wish we could have gone further in these competitions but, nonetheless, it has been a privilege to have played for my country on such a stage and to have represented my country for such a long period.”

McGregor made his international debut in 2017 and went on to help the side end their long exile from major tournaments by qualifying for Euro 2020. The midfielder played in all three games at those finals and scored against Croatia in the third group stage game. He also started all three matches in this summer’s Euros.

“I have worked with some excellent managers, teammates and staff and I thank them all for their incredible efforts during the time we have had together,” McGregor said.

“I would like to wish Steve, the current Scotland players and all the players who follow me nothing but success for the future.

“I also want to give special and sincere thanks to the Scotland fans who have supported me so brilliantly during my time. The level of passion and commitment which our fans bring is second to none and something which I will always remember.”

Scotland coach Steve Clarke praised McGregor’s contribution to the side and said that he will be missed.

“Callum’s consistency of performance and leadership qualities have been a real catalyst in the team’s return to major tournaments,” Clarke said.

“He has been a driving force in the middle of the park and in many ways is a coach’s dream: he is low maintenance, leads by example and sets the highest standards every day in training and in matches.

“That professionalism and dedication has been a huge influence in our squad. We had a very good chat and while I am disappointed to lose Callum’s qualities I can understand the rationale behind his decision.

“He will be missed by his teammates, the coaches, the backroom staff and, of course, the fans. I would like to thank him for all that he has contributed and helped us achieve.”