Portsmouth FC’s Uruguayan striker Dario Silva has joined Uruguay’s ‘Charruas’ skipper, Paolo Montero, in announcing his retirement from International football. This comes after Uruguay failed to qualify for next year's World Cup finals after being beaten on penalties by Guus Hiddink’s Socceroos in the play-offs.

The 33-year-old had intended to bow out after the World Cup finals in Germany, but has decided to announce his retirement after Uruguay's World Cup play-off defeat by Australia after a thrilling penalty shoot-out, which Australia won 4-2.

In an interview on the Uruguayan television show ‘Las Voces del Futbol’ Dario Silva said: "It would have been nice to play my last game in the World Cup…But we didn't qualify and it has hit me hard."

"Uruguay have a lot of young good players and they will defend Uruguayan colours in the next few years."

Silva came on as a substitute early on in the first leg in Montevideo, after an injury to former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan in their 1-0 first-leg win, but was upset to only warm the bench as an unused substitute in the second-leg in Sydney.

"I thought that I would have played against Australia, but now the most important thing is the future of the Uruguayan team," added Silva, who, before his move to Portsmouth in the English Premiership, played in Italy for Cagliari, and in Spain’s La Liga with Sevilla, Espanyol and Malaga.

Silva, who played in the 2002 World Cup finals, made his debut for the Uruguay senior side in October 1994, going on to win 46 caps for his country, and scoring 14 goals.

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