Former Azkals captain Rob Gier announces retirement

Former Philippine national men's football team captain Rob Gier has announced the end to his playing career.

The Azkals defender made the announcement on his Facebook fan page on Wednesday.

"All good things must come to an end so today I would like to announce that my playing career has now drawn to a close," he wrote.

"Football has given me everything: I have travelled the world, won trophies, played for and against some amazing teams, met wonderful people, played in the best stadiums in the world, in front of the most passionate fans in the world, seen a whole country's footballing landscape change virtually overnight, scored some (not many) goals, made some great tackles, captained a nation, laughed and cried. But most importantly I managed to realise my childhood dream of being a footballer."

Gier will remain involved in football, with an eye toward coaching.

The 35-year-old Filipino-Briton joined the Azkals in 2009. He was a member of the Azkals side that made the semifinals of the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, a run that catapulted the sport to a new level of popularity in the Philippines. —JST, GMA News