Reggie Lambe says he is “proud” to have worn the Bermuda shirt after deciding to call time on an international career spanning nearly two decades.

The upcoming World Cup qualifying matches at home to Curaçao and away to Trinidad & Tobago will be the last for Lambe, who was the first Bermudian to reach 50 appearances for the national team and has been capped an unprecedented 63 times.

“The decision to retire wasn’t that difficult to make,” said Lambe, who made his international debut against St Kitts and Nevis in 2007 at the age of 16.

“I can still play but to perform at the level we need to in order to progress is becoming harder for me to maintain

“It’s been epic as I’ve go to travel to countries I probably would never have visited to play the game that I love and I enjoyed knocking the ball around with some of my childhood friends. It’s been a real journey and to make it as far as we have with the national team is a blessing and I’m proud to have worn the shirt so many times for my country.”

Lambe cited the personal milestone of reaching 50 caps and Bermuda’s dramatic comeback against the Dominican Republic that clinched a spot in the 2019 Gold Cup as the highlights of his international career.

“Before I’d made it to 30 I realised there wasn’t any sort of recognition or thought behind the caps and who had the most, so I took it upon myself to look into it and I saw that Damon Ming had the most at 43,” he said.

“I wanted to surpass him, not just for me, but for it to be an achievement for Bermudians to be able to strive for milestones in the national team, whether it be your first cap, tenth, twentieth or 50th.

“I wanted the recognition to be there and also the pride and achievement for the player themselves. I feel we have that now and it has helped the level rise among the players to stay in contention to be selected.”

While he has decided to retire from playing international football, Lambe is willing to continue assisting the national team in other capacities.

“I’d like to see how I can assist the squad in other ways whether that be coaching or mentoring,” he said. “That will be good as a next step because the national team’s success is something I will always want to improve, whether I’m a player or just a fan.

“The future of Bermuda is strong as long as the players stick together and grow that unity. I’m sure anyone on the team would tell you that the link-up play between Nahki Wells and I is unmatched and if we have that across the whole squad we’d be truly unstoppable.

“We have a long way to go and a lot of growing to do, but the efforts from the management and the BFA from when I started to now has greatly increased, so it’s only up from here.”

Bermuda head coach Michael Findlay said Lambe joins a long list of Bermudian football legends who have represented their country on the international football stage with “honour and respect”.

“Reggie’s journey is one to applaud and celebrate as it is a testament to his lifelong commitment to Bermuda, its football and its people, which has come with sacrifice as he navigated this pathway,” Findlay said.

“It gave me great pleasure to be able to provide him with his 50th international appearance against French Guiana in 2023, and it was an honour to have been part of Reggie’s journey as a coach.

“I thank him for his continued support and commitment to the Bermuda national team programme, which he demonstrated with purpose and support of his current and past team members, and to the future stars of the Bermuda senior men’s national team programme. A path well-travelled and on behalf of the technical staff, players and fans I say thank you, Reggie.”

Mark Wade, the Bermuda Football Association president, also thanked the player for his unwavering commitment to the national team.

“Having watched Reggie's rise, it is bittersweet to witness his international retirement,” he said.

“He has been involved in all of the senior men’s national team highs during my time on the BFA executive council since 2010; from a notable draw against Guatemala, to the historic win in the Dominican Republic that secured our Gold Cup berth in 2019, to his match-winning goal in Cuba that sealed participation in this FIFA Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers Final Round. We are grateful for his loyalty and commitment.”

Wade also urged fans to come and give Lambe “the farewell he deserves” when he makes his final home appearance for Bermuda in their penultimate World Cup qualifier against Curacao at Flora Duffy Stadium next Thursday.