- The DC United star won the MLS Golden Boot after scoring 23 goals
- He last played for Belgium in March 2022 and hopes to play for his country again.
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A former Premier League star has refused to close the door on his international career.
Christian Benteke has made 45 appearances for his country, but his last appearance was in March 2022.
The forward, who played for teams such as Aston Villa, Liverpool and Crystal Palace, has found a new life in MLS with DC United.
The 33-year-old took the MLS Golden Boot ahead of names like Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez after scoring 23 goals in 30 appearances in the regular season.
He has 18 goals to his name in a Belgium shirt and is hoping to add to that tally.
Christian Benteke won the MLS Golden Boot after scoring 23 goals for DC United
“I still play in a very good league and I'm still a professional, so why should I retire from the national team?” he told BBC Sport.
'I'm not obsessed with it and I'm not putting any pressure or focus on it. But while I'm playing I'll leave the door open. That's just common sense to me.
“The day I retire from my club will also mean the end for the national team.”
“(Lionel) Messi and (Cristiano) Ronaldo are four or five years older than me and they still play, so who are we not to try hard?”
'It's not luck. It's hard work. They take care of their bodies, something we can all do. We may not have their qualities or everything they have, but as an elite athlete, we can all take care of our bodies.”
Unfortunately for Benteke, DC United were eliminated from the play-off race on the final day of the season.
The striker still hopes to play for Belgium again ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
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The former Villa player also had some words of gratitude for what his former club is doing now.
Unai Emery's team is fourth in the Premier League standings and tops the group stage of the 36-team Champions League.
“A huge club,” he described them. “With Liverpool it is more expected, but Villa was my first team in England. Love is different. “They haven't played in the Champions League for a while, so to see them play well at Villa Park on a Tuesday or Wednesday is nice.”
Share or comment on this article: The forgotten Belgian star with 45 caps, who surpasses Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in MLS, insists he will “leave the door open” to return to the national team two years after his last appearance.
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