Schalke have confirmed Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has retired from international football only days before he was due to meet up with his Cameroon teammates to take part in the African Nations Cup.
Choupo-Moting, 27, was not expected to take part in Schalke's winter training camp and rather join Cameroon's national team for the 2017 African Nations Cup in Gabon from mid-January to early February.
#S04-Trainingslager: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting reist mit nach Benidorm. https://t.co/urJjNmUFhY pic.twitter.com/VHF3v7F9Wf
- FC Schalke 04 (@s04) January 3, 2017
However, the Germany-born attacker will instead focus on a full winter preparation with his club as they strive to make progress up the Bundesliga standings following a disappointing first half of the season.
The Royal Blues currently rank 11th in the standings, and trail Borussia Dortmund on the last European spot by nine points.
Up to three players will still represent Schalke at the African Nations Cup. Chelsea loanee Baba Rahman has been called up to the Ghana squad, which could also feature 19-year-old attacker Bernard Tekpetey, while Tottenham loanee Nabil Bentaleb is set to be part of Algeria's squad.
Schalke will travel to their winter training camp in Benidorm, Spain, on Wednesday, and will have to do without injured attackers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Breel Embolo and Franco Di Santo as well as right-back Coke, who is making good progress following his anterior cruciate ligament tear only days after joining from Sevilla last summer.