Former England striker Jermain Defoe retires at 39

London: Former England striker Jermain Defoe on Thursday announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 39. The 39-year old scored 304 goals in 762 career club games and added 20 goals in 57 England appearances.

"After 22 years in the game, I have decided to retire from professional football. It's been a really tough decision, and one I have discussed with my family and those closest to me," Defoe said in a statement on Twitter. "I made my professional debut at 17 in 1999, and I feel now is the right time to bow out. I have had an incredible journey and have met some amazing people in the game. I now look forward to spending some quality time with my friends and family before moving forward on this next chapter in my career," he added.

At club level, he played for English teams West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth and Sunderland as well as Rangers in Scotland. Defoe is the ninth-highest scorer in Premier League history with 162 goals in 496 appearances.

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