Former Premier League midfielder Joe Cole has announced his retirement from professional football.
Cole won the PL title three times with Chelsea and scored 46 goals in 378 matches for the Blues, West Ham United, Liverpool and Aston Villa. He then played for Coventry City before going to the United States to play for Tampa Bay Rowdies.
"After 20 years as a professional, the time has come for me to hang up my boots," said the 37-year-old on Instagram. "It has been a dream come true. All of it.
"There are key moments in every professional's career. One of mine came when I was a young West Ham player.
"A senior pro, who was nearing his own retirement, said to me, 'Enjoy every game, young man. It goes by in the blink of an eye and you'll miss it badly after it's gone.'
"He was right. Those words resonate even more now than they did back then.
Winning feeling
"My favourite thing about being a professional footballer was the feeling you enjoy after coming back into the dressing room after a win.
"It will be difficult to replicate that but I'll always remember all of my former team-mates who I shared that experience with.
"Winning trophies at Chelsea was particularly special for me. Those memories will live with me forever, as will the chance I had to share them with my family."
The future
Cole intends to stay involved in the game.
"I feel I can offer a lot as a coach and have really enjoyed the opportunity to undertake some of these duties with the [Tampa Bay] Rowdies," he says.
"To lend my experience to help other young footballers achieve their dreams, just like I did, is a big passion of mine."
