Emile Heskey's retirement from international football on Thursday was slightly overshadowed by the decision of the more illustrious Thierry Henry to throw in the France towel on the same day.

But Heskey's decision to quit England has still got the British press talking, with Soccernet writer Richard Jolly penning a piece in the Sunday Express that explores where the Aston Villa striker's career can go from here.

"Emile Heskey is a figure of fun and butt of countless internet jokes but managers admire him, players love to line up alongside him, but to the fan in the street. Following his retirement from the England scene, it’s time to weigh up the pros and cons of the striker who often started but very rarely finished...

His finale summed up his failings. When Emile Heskey came on for his last international appearance, England needed three goals in 19 minutes against Germany. Needless to say, Heskey didn’t get any.

After 62 caps and seven goals, the career of statistically England’s least potent striker – among those who have played 20 times or more – was over. Heskey announced his international retirement in a dignified statement on Thursday.

Others are less polite. Type “Emile Heskey jokes” into internet search engine Google and you get 65,400 responses. One website has 39 pages of them. The punchlines tend to be similar – most involve some mention of shooting and Heskey missing.

Whereas some sportsmen become national treasures, poor Heskey became a national joke. When England thrashed Germany in Munich in 2001, the visiting supporters chorused: “5-1 and even Heskey scored”. "

Elsewhere, and with the Open Championship Golf managing what few sporting events can - stealing some precious coumn inches from football - Patrick Collins at the Mail on Sunday welcomes the arrival of a sport that has not displayed any of the diving or fouling that was on display in last Sunday's World Cup final.

"After spending the past few days watching some of the most gifted sportsmen in the world, I have something extraordinary to report.

Despite the intense pressures of ferocious competition, nobody has squealed or flounced or cheated. Nobody, so far as I am aware, has insulted or demeaned an opponent. And, although they are playing for a first prize of £850,000, nobody has attempted to shave the rules or steal a cheap advantage.

There may be precious few saints on the pro tour but on major occasions like this, the golfers do their sport some admirable service. Now contrast their conduct with the finest players of a quite different sport. A week ago in these pages, I was pleading for a Spanish victory in the World Cup final.

While the Spaniards represented most of those things which are good in the game, the Dutch epitomised the functional, pragmatic, uninspiring face of football. Little did I realise that they would prove a great deal worse than that; being cynical, thuggish and even vicious.

While the golfers revealed their game in its finest colours, the men of Holland turned up in rags. And yet, those malevolent impostors have discovered support from the most unlikely source."