Former England midfielder Parker retires

Britain Football Soccer - Fulham v Leeds United - Sky Bet Championship - Craven Cottage - 7/3/17 Fulham's Scott Parker gestures at the end of the match Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Tony O'Brien/Files

(Reuters) - Former England and Fulham midfielder Scott Parker has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 36.

Parker, who began his career at Charlton Athletic, has played in over 450 league games for seven English teams across different tiers and is best known for his spells at Premier League sides Chelsea, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Parker, who had 18 caps for England, played for Fulham last season as the Championship team came close to winning promotion to the top tier but lost to Reading in the play-offs semi-final.

"The decision to retire has not been an easy one for me but having thought long and hard over it, and having discussed it with those closest to me, I believe that now is the right time to move on to the next chapter in my life and career," Parker said in a statement.

Parker also said that an announcement about his future endeavours will be made shortly.

(Reporting by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)