Updated at 18.20
ARDA TURAN HAS announced his retirement from international football in the wake of an alleged heated confrontation with a journalist.
The Barcelona player was travelling with the Turkey team on the flight back from their clash with Macedonia when he clashed with reporter Bilal Mese. Outraged that the journalist was on the plane, Arda is said to have grabbed him by the throat and shouted at him.
The clash was related to reports which claimed there was a dispute between senior Turkey players and the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) relating to bonuses after Euro 2016, as they were said to be owed for reaching the finals.
Afterwards, the 30-year-old slammed the media through his Instagram account, hitting out at the media who write “lies, slander and ignore people’s dignity and family values”.
Later on Tuesday, however, he revealed that his time with the national team is over.
Bad things happened last night. But am I regretful? No. Now I feel at ease,” he said. “I talked with our coach and president of the federation and said that I want to leave national team. I said that I don’t want to play against Kosovo.
“I’ll always give the same response to those who put out such false news. I’ve never forgotten what it did to us.
I speak as a man who serve the national team in all categories, loves his country and jersey. My national team career is over.”
The former Atletico Madrid star has featured 97 times for Turkey’s senior team, having made his debut against Luxembourg in August 2006.
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