Juninho Pernambucano has announced his retirement from international football in the wake of Brazil's exit from the World Cup - and has called for a number of his team-mates to join him in hanging up their boots.

The Lyon playmaker started Saturday's quarter-final clash against France but could not prevent Brazil, the defending world champions, from exiting the competition following a 1-0 defeat.

"It (the national team) is over for me, and it has finished in a very bad way," said Juninho.

"There is total sadness. It is not the time to appoint blame. We all lost."

At 31, Juninho believes it is time for him to step aside and give some of the younger players a chance to stake their claim for a first-team spot with Brazil.

He also believes the same should go for any of his international team-mates who are over 30 - such as Roberto Carlos, Cafu, Gilberto, Emerson, Ze Roberto and Ricardinho, plus goalkeepers Dida and Rogerio Ceni.

"We have to think about young guys and build-up another team," he added. "All the ones who are more than 30 have to leave their place to the younger players, to make a new team for 2010."