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Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo announced Saturday his retirement from international football after winning the Golden Boot at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Shanghai striker Shenhua, 30, hit five times as the Super Eagles finished third in Egypt, allowing him to earn the top scorer title with two more goals than Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez and Cedric Bakambu.
"This has been an incredible 5 year journey, but after proper consultation and in-depth discussions with my family, I decided that it was time for me to retire from the national team ", said Ighalo in a statement.
"It was a memorable and eventful occasion to serve my country with pride and pbadion and to contribute, thanks to my quota, to the development of our football.
"Now is the time to focus on club football and give young players a chance to learn and grow."
Ighalo almost left Nigeria after the World Cup last year following harsh criticism and even death threats, but was encouraged to stay in places by Gernot Rohr, who according to Ighalo, "Supported against all odds".
He fully repaid Rohr's confidence in him, finishing as the top scorer in qualifying for the tournament before his impressive performance in Egypt, which was remarkable. Nigeria have eliminated Cameroon, defending champion, in the last 16.
Ighalo scored twice and placed Alex Iwobi's winner in a thrilling 3-2 win.
In total, Ighalo scored 16 goals for Nigeria in 35 appearances. He has also been captain of the National Under-20 Team for the 2009 World Cup, which is also taking place in Egypt, reported Agence France Presse.
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