Patrik Schick retires from international football hours after Czechia's World Cup exit

Patrik Schick has retired from international football, announcing his decision just hours after Czechia were knocked out of the 2026 World Cup with a 3-0 defeat to co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City on Wednesday night.

The result left Czechia bottom of Group A with a single point, ending their tournament at the group stage. Schick, 30, entered the Mexico game as a substitute but could not prevent the heavy loss that sealed his country’s exit.

“Today, my national team chapter is coming to an end,” Schick wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. “I am leaving proud of what I have achieved in the national team jersey. But at the same time, there is the feeling that Czech soccer has much more to offer than it has shown in recent years.”

Schick made his international debut in May 2016 against Malta and went on to earn 56 caps, scoring 26 goals — including one on his debut. He failed to score at the World Cup in North America.

His international career produced some memorable highlights, most notably at Euro 2020, where he finished as joint top scorer alongside Cristiano Ronaldo with five goals. His most iconic moment came in a 2-0 win over Scotland, when he spotted the goalkeeper off his line and curled a stunning effort into the net from just inside the halfway line. Czechia reached the quarter-finals of that tournament before being eliminated.

At club level, Schick has enjoyed considerable success with Bayer Leverkusen, forming part of the squad that won both the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal under Xabi Alonso in the 2023/24 season. The former Roma and RB Leipzig forward has also been named Czechia Footballer of the Year twice during his career.