Liverpool FC defender Jamie Carragher has announced he will hang up his boots at the end of the season, saying: "It has been a privilege and an honour to represent this great club."

"This will be my last season at Liverpool and my last as a professional footballer," said the former England central defender, who turned 35 in late January. Carragher has spent his entire career at Anfield, and has played more than 700 games for the club, winning the 2000/01 UEFA Cup and the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League as well as two FA Cups. He is second only to Ian Callaghan in terms of all-time Liverpool appearances.

"I will be fully committed between now and the end of the season to doing the very best for Liverpool, as I've done since joining aged nine years old," he added. "It has been a privilege and an honour to represent this great club for as long as I have and I am immensely proud to have done so and thankful for all the support I have had. There are many memories I want to share and people to thank, but now is not the time for that."

Liverpool visit FC Zenit St Petersburg in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie on 14 February. Carragher featured in five of their six group stage games in the autumn.

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