New York City FC footballer Frank Lampard has announced his retirement today from the England national team.

Lampard is “hanging up his boots” from international soccer before England begins its first Euro 2016 qualification game.

The gifted midfielder made 106 appearances for the England national team, at the senior level. In his final game for England, he played as captain in the World Cup match against Costa Rica in June, which ended 0-0.

The fact that Hodgson decided to make Lampard captain in England’s last World Cup game of the 2014 FIFA World Cup was a clear indicator that England manager Roy Hodgson wanted to give Lampard a memorable send-off before retiring from international soccer.

Lampard earned his first game for England in 1999. When he made his 100th cap for the national team in 2013, he was only the eighth player in English football history to achieve that milestone.

With his retirement from England, he can now concentrate on his club career on loan at Manchester City before moving to MLS to join New York City FC in early 2015.