3 highlight moments of Robert Snodgrass’ international career
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Scotland midfielder Robert Snodgrass has retired from international duty with immediate effect.
The 32-year-old West Ham attacker withdrew from Steve Clarke’s squad before the 2020 European Championship qualifying match against San Marino at Hampden Park on Sunday after featuring in the 4-0 defeat by Russia in Moscow on Thursday night.
Robert Snodgrass, who started his career at Livingston before spells at Leeds United, Norwich City and Hull City, with loan periods at Stirling Albion and Aston Villa, won 28 caps and scored seven goals for Scotland since making his debut in February 2011. He earned his final cap in a 4-0 defeat away in Russia last week.
Scotland are not going to qualify for Euro 2020 through the conventional route, but are set to play in a Nations League semi-final play-off in March, which could have given the 32-year-old a chance to write his name in the nation’s history books. Despite that, the midfielder has hung up his Scotland boots that would see him now concentrate fully on his club career.
That being said, let us take a look at three special moments in Snodgrass’ international career.
1. Snodgrass sinks Croatia
Scotland were slated to play Croatia in the Group A of the European qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Croatia were locked on 16 points with a red-hot Belgium side. When Scotland arrived in Zagreb, then bottom of the standings and without a win under new manager Gordon Strachan, almost all expected Igor Stimac’s side to earn easy three points.
However, that wasn’t the case as Robert Snodgrass’ first-half goal was enough to shock Croatia and inflict their first competitive home defeat since England’s 4-1 win in 2008.
2. Snodgrass hat-trick helps Scotland beat Malta 5-1
It was a colourful evening in Snodgrass’ international career as he scored a hat-trick in Scotland’s 5-1 thumping of Malta in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers back in 2016.
Malta had quickly cancelled out a fortuitous early opener from Snodgrass when Alfred Effiong headed home but Scotland scored four times after the break. In the second half, Snodgrass bagged a couple, while Chris Martin and substitute Steven Fletcher also joined the party.
3. Snodgrass quashes rumours of turning down Barcelona
The Scotsman had been rumoured to have rejected a trial with Barcelona as a kid during his Livingston days. Snodgrass rose through the ranks at Livingston but insists he never was the subject of interest of Barcelona.
Back in 2005, the nippy winger was busy making a name for himself at Livingston. Having burst onto the scene with the Scottish side, Snodgrass was a talent very much in demand.
His potential was noted by clubs throughout England – with Leeds United eventually securing his services when he was 19, while talk of his ability was apparently said to have spread at Barcelona.
In 2017, Snodgrass said to The Sun: “You’d have to be insane to reject a trial at Barcelona.”