Arsenal defender Lauren has decided to retire from international football at the age of 25.

The Cameroon World Cup player has opted to put his club career with the Gunners first.

"I have now cleared everything in my mind and I have made the very difficult decision that I am not going to play for my national team anymore," he told Arsenal's official website.

"That's definite," he insisted. "Even though we have the Confederations Cup to play in during the summer which has the world's best teams like France, Brazil and Germany playing in it, I have decided I am not going to play."

Lauren has won 25 caps for Cameroon, winning a gold medal at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 and helping his country to an African Nations Cup victory this year.

He added: "You sometimes have to make big decisions and even though I am still young at 25, I feel I have made the right decision."