Canada's goalkeeper Patrick Onstad makes a save from a goal attempt by Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain while Richard Hastings (L) looks on during their friendly soccer match in Buenos Aires, May 24, 2010.
Longtime men's national soccer team player Richard Hastings officially announced his retirement on Friday.
The 33-year-old defender/midfielder played 12 seasons with the Canadian team, making his debut on his 21st birthday on May 18, 1998, in Toronto. The Vancouver native played his final game on May 29, 2010, in Merida, Venezuela.
His 59 appearances rank him ninth in national team history.
“Richard has served Canada well over his international career and his leadership will be missed by all involved,” said national head coach Stephen Hart. “I do believe Richard still has some valuable experience to pass on as a professional, especially at the club level, but he has made a decision on what is best for him and his family.”
Hastings scored one of the biggest goals in Canadian soccer in recent years, scoring the golden goal in a 2-1 extra time victory over Mexico in the quarter-final stage of the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Canada went on to beat Trinidad and Tobago in the semifinal and Colombia in the final.
It was his only goal with the men's national team.
“I have many highlights, memories and friendships to be thankful for throughout my international career,” said Hastings, who'll focus on his work as an instructor with his business, The Other Foot Soccer School Canada, in Nanaimo, BC.
Hastings earned caps for Canada at one FIFA Confederations Cup, two cycles of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, and five CONCACAF Gold Cups. He helped Canada win the CONCACAF men's under-20 championship in 1996 and competed in one FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Most of his professional career was played at Inverness Caledonian Thistle of Scottish Premier League (1994 to 2001 and 2004 to 2009). He also played with Ross County in Scotland, Grazer AK in Austria, and MVV Maastricht in Netherlands from 2001-2004. He played for Hamilton Academical in Scotland from 2009-10.
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