Vieira admits Jakobs’ Senegal retirement is ‘difficult to understand’

Patrick Vieira says he is “bitter” and unable to understand Ismail Jakobs’ decision to retire from international football at the age of 27.

The Senegal manager had expected the Galatasaray defender to be part of his squad for the forthcoming matches against Sudan on 12 and 16 November. Instead, Jakobs called Vieira several days after receiving his call-up to tell him he wanted to end his career with the national team.

Jakobs formally announced his retirement on 29 October, a decision which has continued to generate debate in Senegal. Speaking at a news conference on Thursday as he named his squad, Vieira explained how he had learned of the player’s decision.

“When he received the call-up, he called me a few days later to tell me that he wanted to end his international career,” said Vieira.

“I accepted it with a little bitterness, let’s say, because I feel he is at the peak of his career.”

Vieira said he believed it was unusual for a player of Jakobs’ age, playing for a major European club, to step away from international football.

“I think it is always a shame when a player of that age, who plays for a big club, ends his international career,” he added. “But it was his choice and I have to accept it.”

The former France midfielder acknowledged that he personally found the decision hard to understand, but said there was nothing he could do to change it.

“It is true that, personally, it is difficult to understand,” Vieira said. “But it is his choice and I have no other way of dealing with it.”

The comments follow several weeks of uncertainty over Jakobs’ future with Senegal. Reports in September suggested the defender was considering retirement, although Vieira initially sought to reassure supporters about his international prospects.

On 15 October, speaking on RTS, the manager indicated that the difficulties had been resolved and suggested Jakobs could return to the squad in November.

Two weeks later, Jakobs announced that he was retiring after all.

The outcome represents a setback for Vieira, whose public assurances about the defender’s future were ultimately contradicted by the player’s decision.

Jakobs has won 33 caps for Senegal but has chosen to prioritise “his club and his family”. His decision also came after El Hadji Malick Diouf moved ahead of him and following a World Cup marked by organisational problems.