HENDERSON, Nev. — Canada’s men’s national team captain and all-time appearances leader Atiba Hutchinson told The Athletic on Tuesday in an exclusive interview that he is retiring from club soccer and that there is a “good chance” the Nations League Finals in Las Vegas will be his last tournament with the national team.
Advertisement
The 40-year-old midfielder is arguably the best player to have ever suited up for Canada’s men’s national team. His one-year contract with Turkish side Besiktas expired this season. He had won multiple titles with Besiktas in his 10-season career with the club. Hutchinson has also made 24 Champions League appearances with Besiktas and FC Copenhagen.
Beginning in 2003, Hutchinson has made 103 appearances for Canada. He played in all three games for Canada at the 2022 World Cup.
“It’s a crazy feeling,” Hutchinson told The Athletic. “It’s cool that I’m here with an opportunity to win a trophy, but at the same time, it’s been a long career that I had representing Canada.”
Breaking: Atiba Hutchinson tells @TheAthleticSCCR that he is retiring from club soccer and that the Nations League Finals is likely his last tournament for Canada. #CanMNT
— Joshua Kloke (@joshuakloke) June 13, 2023
Hutchinson’s final year with Besiktas saw him feature in just five league matches. The contract itself was likely a chance for Hutchinson to train and stay fit ahead of the World Cup.
Hutchinson did not play in Besiktas’ final game of the season.
“I thought I would play,” he said of the final game. “With a club like us, we want to finish ahead of our rivals. In the moment, the coach wanted to play the players he did. I would have loved to have had that last moment, but it didn’t happen. But I was happy what the club did for
Read on theathletic.com