Saturday 24 August 2019 12:18, UK
Former England, Manchester City and Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has announced his retirement from football at the age of 37.
Wright-Phillips, who began his career with City in 1999, won the Premier League and FA Cup with Chelsea during a three-year spell between 2005 and 2008, and represented England at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
He last played for United Soccer League team Phoenix Rising in 2017, but had never called an end to his career.
"I was trying to hold on to [my career] for as long as possible," Wright-Phillips revealed on Soccer AM.
"But over the last few weeks, I've decided it is time to be official and say: I'm officially retired.
"I knew growing up it was not something that lasts forever, but after I had my last operation, it fell into place - I was doing stuff with Manchester City and little stuff with TV - and it helped me glide out of it."
He was named City's Young Player of the Year in first four straight seasons (2000 to 2003) and was rewarded for his performances in the 2004/05 season at Chelsea with inclusion in the PFA Team of the Year.
Chelsea signed Wright-Phillips in 2005 for a fee in the region of £21m from City, who signed him back three years later. He then moved to QPR on Deadline Day in 2011.
The winger left England 16 years after his professional debut to join his brother, Bradley, at MLS side New York Red Bulls in 2015.
