Former-Manchester United and England player Rio Ferdinand has announced his retirement from professional football.
Ferdinand suffered the trauma of the death of his wife earlier this year and that is believed to be the reason behind his retirement.
At 36, it was expected Ferdinand would hang up his boots soon but the death of his wife speeded up the process. He was released by Queens Park Rangers earlier this week.
In a statement, Ferdinand said:
“After 18 years as a professional footballer, I now feel it's the right time for me to retire from the game that I love.
“As a 12-year-old boy, kicking around a football on the Friary Estate in Peckham, I never dreamt that I would play for my boyhood club West Ham, captain Leeds United, win the Champions League with Manchester United, or re-join my first manager Harry Redknapp at Queens Park Rangers.
“I will always regard the 81 times that I played for England, with immense pride. These are all treasured memories that will last a lifetime.
“Starting a career, every young man needs mentors. I found mine in Dave Goodwin, the district manager at Blackheath, and Tony Carr, the youth team manager at West Ham. They installed in me personality traits that lasted throughout my career. I will always be grateful to them.
“I'd like to thank Chris Ramsey, Harry Redknapp, David O'Leary and David Moyes who managed me at various times in my career, all the backroom staff who looked after me over the years, and the players that I played with. I would also like to thank the team who managed me off the pitch, Jamie Moralee and everybody at New Era.
“Winning trophies over my 13 years at Manchester United allowed me to achieve everything that I desired in football. From a young child to today, that was all I cared about.
“None of that would have been possible, without the genius of one man, Sir Alex Ferguson. His greatest accomplishment in my eyes will always be how he developed us as men, not just as footballers. He will in my opinion, always be the greatest manager in British football history.
“I'd also like to thank and pay tribute to my wife Rebecca and my family, including my mother and father, for their sacrifices, their encouragement and their advice throughout my career.
“And finally, I'd like to thank all the fans from all the clubs - for without them professional football would not exist. I will miss each and every one of you on my Saturday afternoons.”
The Englishman played 81 times for his country and featured more than 300 times for Manchester United, earning a legendary status at the club.
He lifted the Barclays Premier League an incredible six times with United, won 1 FA Cup, 3 League Cups, 6 Community Shields, 1 Champions League, 1 Club World Cup and 1 UEFA Super Cup.
On an individual level, Ferdinand was named in 6 different PFA Premier League Team of the Year, one FIFPro Team of the Year and was awarded a Premier League 20 seasons award in 2012.