The Bayern Munich midfielder will hang up his international boots a decade after making his Chile debut. The 30-year-old said his country's failure to qualify for the World Cup has "crushed his soul."
Golden generation: Vidal with Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez Image: picture alliance /dpa/Tass/S. Krasilnikov
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Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal has announced his retirement from international football after Chile failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
Vidal, 30, made his international debut in February and went on make 95 appearances for his country, scoring 23 goals in the process.
But he said his "soul had been crushed" by Chile's 3-0 defeat to Brazil on Tuesday which saw them finish sixth in CONMEBOL qualifying behind Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia and Peru – meaning they missed out on an intercontinental play-off against New Zealand on goal difference.
Vidal himself missed the match through suspension but said in a statement on Twitter: "Thank you for everything, lads, for all these years together. Thank you for teaching me and showing the country that, with effort and hard work, anything is possible in life."
Vidal confirmed he would reture from international football after the World Cup, should Chile have qualified.Image: Reuters/K. Pfaffenbach
Golden generation
The midfielder had already announced in September that he would retire from international duty following the 2018 World Cup - should Chile qualify. "The past ten years have been tough and the time has come to take a break," he said at the time.
Vidal, who joined German champions Bayern from Juventus in 2015, was part of the Chile side which was knocked out by Brazil at the last-16 stage of both of the last two World Cups.
But, along with Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez and Bayer Leverkusen's Charles Aranguiz, he was also a key player in a golden generation of Chilean talent which won back-to-back Copa America titles in 2015 and 2016.
Vidal also led his country in the Confederations Cup in Russia this summer, where they were beaten 1-0 in the final by world champions Germany.
Chile's Argentinean manager Juan Antonio Pizzi also stepped down after Tuesday's defeat.
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World Cup 2018: Gianluigi Buffon and Christian Pulisic among those missing out
As World Cup qualifying approaches its end, DW tooks a look at who will be watching rather than featuring on TV next summer. A veteran goalkeeper, a US prospect and a Bundesliga favorite are among those who'll miss out.
Image: picture alliance/empics/N. Carson
Gianluigi Buffon, Italy
Gianluigi Buffon's 175th Italy cap will be his last. The 39-year-old goalkeeper kept a clean sheet in his side's playoff second leg draw with Sweden but it wasn't enough, as Italy missed out on the World Cup for the first time since 1958 thanks to a first leg loss. Buffon, who won the World Cup in 2006 and will now retire from international football, broke down in tears after the match.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Medina
Christian Pulisic, USA
On one of the most disastrous nights in American footall history, Bruce Arena's USA team lost 2-1 to Trinidad & Tobago to end up second bottom in the CONCACAF Hexagonal. The result means Borussia Dortmund star Christian Pulisic will have to wait at least another four years to make his World Cup debut. In a double blow for the Bundesliga, Hamburg striker Bobby Wood also misses out.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Estrella
Arjen Robben, Netherlands
The Bayern Munich winger is missing out on a second successive international tournament after the Netherlands failed to beat Sweden by the seven goals required to avoid elimination from Group A. “It is not realistic to think we can beat Sweden with a big score,” Robben said pre-match. “People had best leave their calculators at home." He was right and has now retired from international football.
Image: imago/VI Images/M. van Steen
David Alaba, Austria
Bayern Munich's David Alaba is another Bundesliga star who can put his feet up next summer after Austria failed to overcome Serbia and the Republic of Ireland in UEFA qualifying group D. Wales finished above an Austria team that hasn't qualified for a World Cup since 1998.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/SvenSimon
Andriy Yarmolenko, Ukraine
New Borussia Dortmund signing Andriy Yarmolenko won't be in Russia next summer after Ukraine finished third in their qualifying group behind Croatia and Iceland. Despite making an impressive start to his BVB career, the Ukrainian striker, who has scored 32 goals in 73 appearances for his county, couldn't help as his team lost 2-0 to Croatia (pictured) to seal their fate.
Image: Imago/ZumaPress
Alexis Sanchez, Chile
Despite winning two consecutive Copa Americas, Chile have missed out on qualification for the World Cup - leaving Alexis Sanchez at home (along with Arturo Vidal, who retired after Chile failed to qualify). Chile's fate was sealed after a 3-0 defeat to group winners Brazil, who will joined in 2018 by Uruguay, Argentina and Colombia. Is this the end for Chile's golden generation?
Image: Reuters/C. Recine
Salomon Kalou, Ivory Coast
"If we don't make it, we'll only have ourselves to blame," Kalou told DW ahead of the Ivory Coast's key game against Morocco. Defeat would be a "catastrophe" the Hertha Berlin attacker said - and so it proved. In Group C of African qualifying the Ivory Coast lost 2-0 and finished in second (with eight points) behind the Moroccans.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/H. Szwarc
Gareth Bale, Wales
The Real Madrid forward scored three goals as Wales surged to the semifinals of Euro 2016 and is the country’s second highest scorer of all time with 26 goals - but he will not be in Russia next year. With Serbia winning group D, Wales’ match against Republic of Ireland was a must-win - but Ireland's 1-0 victory ended Bale's chances of leading Wales to a World Cup for the first time since 1958.
Image: imago/Sportimage/S. Bellis
Sead Kolasinac, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia's hopes of making the World Cup ended despite a 2-1 win against Estonia in the final Group H game. Bosnia finished two points behind second-placed Greece, who also missed out after losing to Croatia in the playoff. Kolasinac, Dzeko and Co. weren't able to repeat their heroic World Cup qualification of 2014 when they topped their qualifying group and finished third in Group F in Brazil.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Fotostand
Naby Keita, Guinea
RB Leipzig's Keita won't feature on the biggest stage next summer, which may please his new club Liverpool. Tunisia topped Group A, narrowly beating out the DR Congo by one point. Guinea though, finished last with three points. Not even one of the Bundesliga's brightest stars could guide Guinea to a World Cup berth.
Image: picture-alliance/ZUMAPRESS/M.Chenguang
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabon
Perhaps the least surprising entry on this list not because of any lack of ability but purely because of Gabon's standing in world football. The African nation won just one game in qualifying and are already out of contention, leaving the Borussia Dortmund man twiddling his thumbs this summer.
Image: imago/PanoramiC
Will Grigg, Northern Ireland
Although not considered a star, Northern Ireland's Will Grigg became one of the biggest names at Euro 2016 when a song about him rang was sung by his own fans and others alike. Northern Ireland's narrow defeat to Switzerland means Grigg and the famous Northern Irish fans won't be making an appearance in Russia this summer, but perhaps the song will still be heard.
