The Liverpool defender Kolo Touré has announced his intention to retire from international football after next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The 33-year-old, who made his first Premier League start of the season in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Stoke, has already won 109 caps for Ivory Coast since making his debut against Rwanda in April 2000 but has indicated the tournament in Equatorial Guinea between 17 January and 8 February will be his swansong.
“I plan to make this my final international assignment,” he said.
“I want to give my all to my country and myself because we have been in search of silverware for too long.
“If my coach [Hervé Renard] gives me the opportunity to play at the upcoming Nations Cup, I’ll do my best and thereafter we’ll say goodbye.
“It’s going to be the end between Kolo Touré and the Elephants.”
Having begun his career at ASEC Mimosas in Abidjan, Touré moved to Arsenal in 2002 and was part of the ‘Invincibles’ side who went through the whole season unbeaten in 2003/4. He was signed by Manchester City in 2009 before joining Liverpool on a free transfer last summer but has been used sparingly until recent weeks by manager Brendan Rodgers.
However, a strong display against Real Madrid in the Champions League last month has seen Touré force his way back into the first team reckoning as Liverpool recorded a first clean sheet since 25 October against Stoke.
“It was good because we defended very well as a team,” he said.
“They had a couple of chances and we could have done better on them, but we’ll learn from that.
“For us, we just focus on our performance, working hard and giving 100 per cent. Last season was a great season and people were expecting us to do the same or improve, but football is what it is - you have tough times that come and go.”
Touré could be in line to face Leicester on Tuesday night but he has warned his team-mates not to take the Premier League’s bottom side lightly.
“It means nothing in the Premier League,” he said.
“Sometimes when a team is in that situation, they can be more dangerous. We are used to it and at the moment, as Liverpool Football Club we are not happy and that’s why it’s going to be a great game.
“Every team is improving [in the league]. That’s why we all love the Premier League. You can win against a team at the top, or lose against a team at the bottom.”