Bermuda captain Danté Leverock has confirmed his retirement from international football.

The 29-year-old, who made 23 appearances for the national team, scoring five goals in the process, took to social media last night to confirm his surprise decision in a short message that thanked the Bermuda Football Association for giving him the “greatest honour” of leading the nation.

“Thank you for all the memories Bermuda FA, the highs and the lows,” Leverock posted on Facebook. “Playing on the biggest stage representing and being captain of my country, there’s no bigger honour.

“The future is so bright for Bermuda football. I can’t wait to see the new heights they reach.”

His decision will come as a major blow to Kyle Lightbourne, who is well into his preparations for the World Cup qualifying group B matches against Cayman Islands and Surinam next month.

Leverock started in Bermuda’s first two group B matches, against Canada and Aruba, and scored the third goal in a comprehensive 5-0 victory over the latter on March 30.

However, ahead of facing a daunting trip to play Surinam on June 4, before taking on Cayman Islands at the IMG Academy Complex in Bradenton, Florida, four days later, the head coach will now have to plan for life without not only his captain, but an integral part of his centre-back pairing alongside Robin Hood team-mate Jaylon Bather.

Throughout his international career, the towering centre half, who also had stints playing abroad in the United States, England, Ireland, Estonia and Poland, has played a key role for Bermuda.

Among his international highlights, Leverock can look back on the historic occasions of leading the team out in major tournaments, including a first Concacaf Gold Cup campaign and the Nations League in 2019.

In those tournaments, Leverock also enjoyed a number of memorable moments, none more so than scoring the opening goals against regional powerhouses Haiti, in the Gold Cup before falling to a 2-1 defeat, and away to Mexico in the Nations League, before suffering a heartbreaking last-gasp loss by the same scoreline.