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'It was a pride for me' - Burkina Faso's Bance announces international retirement
The former Lokeren and Mainz 05 striker has decided to call time on his international career to allow a younger generation to pass through
Aristide Bance has announced his retirement from international football after a 17-year career with the Burkina Faso national team.
The Horoya forward, who made his debut in 2003, has earned 79 caps for the Stallions, scoring 24 goals.
He is the country’s third most-capped player and second-highest scorer of all time, but has chosen to hang up his international boots at the age of 35.
Famous for his towering height, Bance featured in four Africa Cup of Nations finals – winning silver and bronze in the 2013 and 2017 editions, respectively.
He played a significant role in the South Africa 2013 edition as Burkina Faso lost out on the title by a whisker to Stephen Keshi’s Super Eagles – with his only goal in that tournament coming in the semi-final against Ghana at Nelspruit’s Mbombela Stadium.
He made his decision known during his meeting with the President of the West African nation on Tuesday.
“I had the honour of being received by His Excellency Mr. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, President of Faso,” Bance wrote on his Facebook page.
“As the captain of the national stallion team, I wanted to show him my gratitude for all he does for Burkinabe football.
“I also took advantage of these moments to officially announce to him my intention to end my international career, the end of my adventure with the Burkina stallions and definitively give him my lucky number “15”.
“It was a pride for me to wear the colours of the national team. We had rough and good times. We shook together two beautiful African Cup of Nations crowned with a silver (2013) and a bronze (2017). These moments will forever be the best of my life.”
He began his professional career at Cote d’Ivoire’s Stade d'Abidjan before teaming up with Athletic Adjame and later RFC Daoukro.
He moved to Santos Burkina in 2003 – where he was snapped up by Belgian top-flight side Lokeren. After three seasons at Daknamstadion, Metalurh Donetsk was his next destination, albeit, he was loaned to Germinal Beerschot and Kickers Offenbach.
In 2008, he was signed by Mainz. There, he scored 24 times in 62 games over two seasons with the German team.
He also boasts of spells at Al-Ahli Dubai, Umm-Salal, Samsunspor, FC Augsburg, Fortuna Dusseldorf, HJK Helsinki, Irtysh Pavlodar, Chippa United, Riga, Asec Mimosas, Al-Masry, US des Forces Armees before moving to Guinea club Horoya - his 22nd team - in 2019.
