Former England striker Peter Crouch has announced his retirement at the age of 38, ending the 19-year career of one of the country's most recognizable and charismatic soccer players.
The 2.01-meter Crouch made his English league debut in 2000 with Queens Park Rangers and went on to play for eight more clubs including Liverpool and Tottenham. He spent the second half of last season at Burnley.
Crouch's first England appearance came against Colombia in May 2005 and he played 42 times for his country, scoring 22 goals. He sometimes celebrated his goals with a robot dance.
Announcing his retirement over Twitter, Crouch wrote: "Our wonderful game has given me everything. I'm so thankful to everyone who helped me get there and to help me stay there for so long."
Crouch released a book last year, entitled "How to be a Footballer." He has also worked in the media. Crouch won the FA Cup with Liverpool in 2006 and helped the team reach the 2007 Champions League final.
