Los Angeles Galaxy star player Robbie Keane has announced his retirement from international football after an 18-year career for the Republic of Ireland.

The 36-year old veteran has appeared in a record 145 games for his country, scoring 67 goals – at least three times more than any other Irish player.

“Today, I am announcing my decision to retire from international football following the upcoming game with Oman in 31st August in the Aviva Stadium,” Keane started out in a public statement.

“It has been a wonderful journey for me to have played with the Irish national team for over eighteen years since I made my senior international football debut back in 1998. I have enjoyed it all,” Keane mentioned. He appreciated the efforts of his family, and the country for giving him the opportunity to captain the country for over a decade. He recalled starting out as a young player on the streets of Dublin, thanking his stars for the opportunity to go on to lead the country.

Keane started his career as a young player at Molineux before he quickly switched to Coventry. He started his professional career with Wolves in summer of 1997. He is one of the best players to have featured in a Wolves jersey. He got his international debut when Mick McCarthy gave him the opportunity to feature against Czech Republic in 1998 despite being only 17 years old. He reached worldwide fame when he equalized for Ireland in the 2002 World Cup. Two years later, he surpassed Niall Quinn’s record of 21 goals.

His club career has seen a decent level of success having played for teams like Inter Milan, Leeds, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. He would play his last when Republic of Ireland take on Oman before they play their World Cup qualifier against Serbia.