Gudjohnsen calls time on Iceland career

"I am afraid this was my last national game," said Eidur Gudjohnsen after calling time on his international career following Iceland's FIFA World Cup play-off defeat by Croatia.

Eidur Gudjohnsen is ending his Iceland career as the nation's all-time leading scorer

Iceland forward Eidur Gudjohnsen has called time on his international career in the wake of the FIFA World Cup play-off defeat at the hands of Croatia.

 Having held Croatia to a goalless draw with ten men in the first leg, Iceland's dream came to an end in the Zagreb return when goals from Mario Mandžukić and Darijo Srna sent Niko Kovač's side to next summer's finals. An emotional Gudjohnsen subsequently declared: "I am afraid this was my last national game."

The 35-year-old retires as his country's all-time leading marksman with 24 goals – seven more than Ríkhardur Jónsson's record set in 1965. The striker is also Iceland's fourth most-capped player with 78 games under his belt, only Rúnar Kristinsson (104 caps), Hermann Hreidarsson (89) and Gudni Bergsson (80) ahead of him. Continue...

Aged 17, Gudjohnsen made his Iceland debut against Estonia in Tallinn on 24 April 1996, coming on as a substitute in place of his father Arnór. Father and son were due to start a national-team game together but Eidur broke his leg and only recovered after his father had retired. Arnór later said: "It remains my biggest regret that we did not get to play together, and I know it is Eidur's too."

Gudjohnsen started out at Valur Reykjavík and KR Reykjavík either side of a stint at Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven. His career really came to life once he moved to England, first with Bolton Wanderers FC and then, more famously, with Chelsea FC where he scored 54 goals in 186 Premier League matches on his way to the 2004/05 and 2005/06 titles. More silverware followed during his three-season stay at FC Barcelona where he won the treble – Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League – in 2008/09.

The forward has since played for AS Monaco FC, Tottenham Hotspur FC, Stoke City FC, Fulham FC, AEK Athens FC, Cercle Brugge KSV and current team Club Brugge KV.