Evans of Manchester United retires from international football

The Manchester United veteran, who is considering retiring from the sport in the summer, has decided to step down from national team duty effective immediately.

Evans, who is now 36, feels that there are young players who can now take the mantle off him.

"Putting on the green shirt 107 times and representing the people of Northern Ireland has been my biggest honour," he said.

"Without doubt the highlight of my international career has been the Euros in France 2016, reaching a major tournament and representing our wee country was a dream come true," added Evans.

"Managing Jonny has been an absolute privilege. He is one of our greatest players as his 107 international caps clearly shows," manager Michael O'Neill said on Wednesday.

"Jonny always showed great leadership but also great humility and always looked out for the rest of the squad. He always loved playing for his country and we will miss his quality and presence in the games ahead.

"He has achieved so much in the game and our fans, like I do, will have many fond memories of him wearing the green and white shirt."