Lisbon: Portuguese star Luis Figo will retire from the national squad after next year’s European Championships.

“I have already thought about when I will say good-bye to the national squad and that will happen after the European Championships,” he told Sport TV.

The 30-year-old, whose contract with Real Madrid expires in three years, said Portugal faced stiff competition next year.

“We have to be conscious of reality and there are teams which can be better than us,” said the 2001 Fifa world Player of the Year. “We can’t compare ourselves to squads like France, Spain or Germany, who are used to winning championships”.