Lima left the field in tears and with an ovation from the Swiss fans
At 43 years old, he has dedicated 26 of them to defending the Andorran team
Ildefons Lima He retired from the Andorran national team this Tuesday at the age of 43Being the top scorer of the Andorran national team with 11 occupying the central defense position and with one Guinness Record for having the longest sporting career at the national team level, with 26 years in total, from 1997 to 2023.
His international career began on June 22, 1977 with a match against Estoniaand ended the September 12, 2023 in a Euro 2024 qualifying match against Switzerlandin Zion.
The central defender is the oldest footballer to play in a national team match at 43 years, 8 months and 27 days. He played 20 in the game in Switzerland as a forward. He left in tears and was applauded and hugged by all of his teammates and coaching staff.
He hangs up his boots internationally accompanied by his family. His wife and his two daughters. “It has been a very special day. Everything I have experienced during this week with many videos, with many photographs and then listening to the anthem. A lot of emotion as is normal and also seeing all the gratitude from people in general after so many years representing a country. “You feel very proud of the race you have done and sorry for the result.”
Ilde Lima already has 136 matches with his national team after being separated from the national team for two years by the Andorran Football Federation (FAF). Lima has scored 11 of the 69 goals that the Andorran team has scored since its international debut.
Between tears and playing as the starting center forward during the first 23 minutes and being replaced by Ricard Fernández, better known as ‘Cucu’ (ND Bilje). “I feel very satisfied for having been able to retire with a great football atmosphere, it is very exciting and a very nice feeling.. The whole family has come that has always supported me after so many years of football. Glad. There were very hard moments as I wanted to say goodbye on the pitch and I achieved it. I will keep the ball and the shirt in a special place and I will also take Xhaka’s shirt and his captain’s armband,” said the Andorran central defender.
With his disputed minutes, ‘Ilde’ is the third player with the most matches played in the Euro Cup classification equaling Cristiano Ronaldo’s 43 games. Only Jehle and Astafjevs have played more games than him.
The player, born in Barcelona on December 10, 1979, is still active since he has been playing for the second team since last year. FC Andorra in the Catalan Third Division.
He began his football career in FC Andorra and he also went through the youth ranks of Barça. Already as a senior he was active in the Espanyol B and defended the shirts of Sant Andreu, Greek Ionikos, Mexican Pachuca, UD Las Palmas, Poli Ejido and Rayo Vallecano.
And then a more successful stage being an important piece in Triestina of the Italian Serie B, adding four seasons with 87 games and one goal. After Italy he went to Switzerland to play for Bellinzona with two seasons, 45 games and four goals. He returned to Triestina and from there I returned home to serve in the FC Andorra, FC Santa Coloma, Inter Club Escaldes and FC Andorra B until this season.
Ilde Lima’s last match as an international was played at the Stade de Tourbillon in Sion and belonged to matchday 6 of group I of the qualifying phase of the next Euro Cup. The Andorran central defender, who played two seasons in the Bellinzona Swiss (2009-2011) was cheered by the rival fans and also received hugs, one by one, from rivals and also teammates. In fact, the Andorra national team shirt today had this message written on it: “Thank you, Ilde”.
A total of 137 games and 11 goals since his debut on June 22, 1997 when he was only 17 years old and playing for FC Andorra in the Spanish second division B. One of the last hugs on the pitch was from the coach Koldo Alvarez De Eulate. The former goalkeeper, born in Vitoria, currently has his son playing as a starter in the national team, Iker, the current Villarreal B goalkeeper. Therefore, Ilde has had the father and son of the Alvarez De Eulate as partners . “We appreciate your work for so many years and also for everything you have given us. It has been a moment of many emotions, his last match as an international“, assured the Andorra coach at the end of the match against Switzerland about Ilde Lima.
From debut in Estonia, with goal included, 26 years have already passed. Four years ago he surpassed the record of Ecuadorian Iván Hurtado who wore his national team shirt for 22 years and 143 days.
At 43 years old, he retired from his national team being a football legend in his country and also in world football. And all having defended players like Ronaldo Nazario, Zinedine Zidane, Luka Modric, Beckham, Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé or Robert Lewandowski. A balance of 6 wins, 21 draws and 110 losses. Andorra lost against Switzerland 3-0 with goals in the second half from Cedric Itten, Granit Xhaka and a penalty from Xherdan Shaqiri.
His first victory came in 2000 against Belarus. It has also surpassed Albania In 2002, San Marino in 2017, Hungary in 2017, Moldova in 2019 and Liechtenstein in 2022.
One of his most special matches was against France, which would later become world champions in 1998. In Saint Denis the match ended 2-0.
Meanwhile, Ilde Lima received congratulations from Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, on the Swiss leader’s Instagram: “Good luck in your last game Ilde Lima and best wishes for your next chapter“.