All About Sport

Chelsea’s Portuguese full-back Paulo Ferreira yesterday announced his international retirement, in a letter sent to the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF).

“It’s with sadness that I report the end of Paulo Ferreira’s time with the national team,” said FPF president Gilberto Madail, in a statement published on the federation website.

The 31-year-old former Porto player has been at Chelsea since 2004 and said in his letter that his decision had been “taken after deep reflection” and was motivated by “personal reasons”.

Ferreira, who typically plays at right-back but can also operate at left-back, won his first international cap against England in September 2002 and has made 62 appearances for Portugal.

His international retirement follows that of 30-year-old Atletico Madrid winger Simao, who last week called time on his career with the Portuguese national side.