Football
ESPN staff 9y

Kolo Toure: I'll retire from Ivory Coast team after African Nations Cup

Ivory coast defender Kolo Toure has said he plans to retire from international football after the African Nations Cup.

The 33-year-old Liverpool player, who has so far amassed 109 caps for his country, made his international debut against Rwanda in April 2000.

But he said the ANC, being played in Equatorial Guinea in January and February, would be his "final international assignment."

The Guardian quoted him as saying: "I want to give my all to my country and myself, because we have been in search of silverware for too long.

"If the coach [Herve Renard] gives me the opportunity to play at the Nations Cup, I'll do my best and thereafter we'll say goodbye. It's going to be the end between Kolo Toure and the Elephants."

Toure, who was part of the unbeaten Arsenal Premier League side of 2003-04 and also played for Manchester City, started his first Liverpool game of the season as they ended a run of five winless matches by beating Stoke 1-0 at Anfield.

"It was good because we defended very well as a team," he said.

"Last season [when Liverpool came close to winning the title] 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."

Toure could keep his place in the team for Wednesday's trip to Leicester, who are at the bottom of the Premier League table after a 3-2 defeat to QPR at the weekend.

And he warned the Merseysiders not to underestimate the Foxes, saying: "Sometimes when a team is in that situation, they can be more dangerous.

"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."

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