Arsenal captain Kim Little has announced her retirement from international duty with immediate effect it’s been announced.

Little who scored In the Gunners 3-0 Champions League win over Slavia Prague on Tuesday her decision was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon by the Scottish FA.

The midfielder made her debut in 2007 against Japan aged only 16 and went on to amass 140 appearances for the national team, becoming one of the all-time greats to play for Scotland.

Little scored 59 goals on the international stage for her country in the process.

The Gunners captain played in all three of Scotland's group games in the 2019 Women's World Cup and scored the opener against Argentina in a 3-3 draw.

Kim won her 50th cap, and scored the opening goal in a 2-0 Cyprus Women's Cup win over England in March 2011. She then helped Scotland qualify for their first ever major tournament, EURO 2017 ultimately missing out due to injury.

On her decision Little said: “ Stepping away from playing international football is something I have been considering for a while and I feel now is the right time to make that change.

“I am proud of the 15 years I have spent representing the national team. I have developed and grown as a person through my experiences representing my country and know they will help me in countless ways in the future.

“Thank you to my teammates for being incredibly empowering and inspiring women, my most vivid and fondest memories are from being by your side on and off the pitch through good times and some challenging times, pushing for progress for the women’s game.

“I now look forward to supporting you all from afar and can’t wait to watch you perform and continue to improve the women’s game in Scotland, paving the way for more young girls to have a career as a footballer.

“I want to wish Pedro and the team all the very best for the up-and-coming qualifiers in September and for the rest of the campaign and beyond.”

Scotland Women’s National Team head coach and former Arsenal boss Pedro Martinez Losa went on to add: "Kim has contributed hugely to the women’s game in Scotland and will go down in history as one of the best players to pull on the national team jersey.

“While it is obviously disappointing that Kim will no longer be available for international selection, I understand and respect her decision.

"It is now time for the next generation of players to follow in Kim’s footsteps and make their own mark with the national team.

“On behalf of everyone involved in women’s football in Scotland I would like to thank Kim for everything she has done both on the pitch as a player but also as a role model to young girls who have admired her and aim to follow in her footsteps.

“We wish Kim all the best as she continues her club career with Arsenal and look forward to welcoming her to Hampden Park as a supporter in the future.”

Little started her senior career at Hibernian and is in her second spell with Arsenal after playing for Seattle Reign and Melbourne City.