Stoke-on-Trent, England (Sports Network) - Michael Owen announced Tuesday that he plans to retire at the conclusion of the Premier League season.
The 33-year-old has enjoyed an impressive career that has included stints at Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester United before ultimately joining Stoke City at the start of the 2012-13.
The latter stages of Owen's career have been riddled with injuries, making playing time with the Potters difficult to come by. Subsequently, the former England international has decided to hang up his boots.
"It is with an immense amount of pride that I am announcing my intention to retire from professional football at the end of this season," the striker wrote on his personal website. "Having progressed through the ranks at Liverpool to make my first-team debut at 17, before embarking upon spells at Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City, not to mention representing my country on 89 occasions, I now feel it is the right time to bring the curtain down on my career.
"I have been very fortunate in that my career has taken me on a journey that, like many young players starting out, I could only have dreamt of."
Owen ended up with 40 goals in 89 international appearances, the most famous of which came in the 1998 World Cup during England's match against Argentina.
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