HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – Bermuda captain Nahki Wells has signaled his intention to retire from international football. The CONCACAF Nations League Group B fixture against Guyana at the Flora Duffy Stadium on Saturday afternoon is expected to be his final appearance after a 16-year career with the national team.
The 32-year-old told the Royal Gazette newspaper he plans to call time on his international career after the Guyana match to focus on his commitments in England with Championship club Bristol City. So far, he has scored 11 goals in this campaign, with City lying 14th.
“It may be my last time playing for the country,” said the five-foot, seven-inch striker. “I am not looking to announce retirement or anything. It isn’t necessary in that regard.
“Who knows what will happen in the future with fixtures and what opportunities present themselves, but I am happy to go out after this and just focus on my club career.
“I hope to have as long a career as possible, so international football will just be one less focus which may help that.”
He continued: “It hasn’t been too big of a deterrent for me over my career because I haven’t always put myself forward or played, which I had to do for personal purposes.
“But when I have, I have come back and given my all and been a part of probably the best run the national team has had, in my generation at least, and had some good times.”
On Tuesday, Wells will not travel to the Dominican Republic for Bermuda’s final Nations League group game against Haiti. Bermuda currently lies third in their four-team group.
Wells has scored 16 goals in 24 appearances for Bermuda since making his senior international debut in 2007, including cutting against Costa Rica and Nicaragua in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2019 after the national team finished fifth in the Nations League qualifiers.
Wells also bagged a hat-trick in Bermuda’s famous 8-1 win over Barbados in a Gold Cup qualifier in Florida in 2021.
Victory on Saturday for Kyle Lightbourne’s team – dubbed the Gombey Warriors – will keep Bermuda’s hopes alive of qualifying for the Gold Cup for a second time and secure their League B status for the next edition of the Nations League, which begins in September.
“I am looking forward to helping the team achieve our goal to stay in Group B at a minimum,” Wells said.
“So we need to beat Guyana at home, and for me, it’s always a joy, honor, and pleasure to play in front of my people.
“I am looking forward to going out on a high and looking forward to an excellent performance and a great result and putting on a good show for my people. That will be the intention.
“It may and will truly be my last game, but I will see. As I said, I don’t intend to make a retirement announcement or anything like that. I think I will leave the national team alone.”
He added: “I have spoken with the gaffer [Lightbourne], and I would love to finish on a high, get a win, and just help out in terms of future generations and the new young breed of players that are coming through, which gives them opportunities to play for their country as well.
“I may be of some assistance in some capacity for the national team in a different role in the future, but who
and then 