Belgrade: Nemanja Vidic has quit the Serbian national team after their failure to qualify for the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine, the Serbian Football Association (FSS) said on Monday.
The FSS published a statement by the Manchester United defender, who said media and fan criticism over his recent performances for Serbia had persuaded him to hang up his international boots.
"The basic reason for my international retirement is that my commitment for the national team has been criticised by the media and therefore by the public as well for some time now," the FSS website quoted Vidic as saying.
"I've been under fire although I turned up to play for Serbia even when I was injured and sometimes I did so against the advice of my club."
His international retirement follows that of fellow top Serbian player Dejan Stankovic but Vidic hopes the team can now thrive.
"I have come forward with this statement in order to root out any hear-say talk as to why I'm quitting the national team, to make sure they keep a good atmosphere ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers," added the centre back.
