Socceroos great Harry Kewell has announced his retirement, relinquishing his bid to play at a third World Cup in Brazil this year.
Kewell was the first Australian-born player to win the European Champions League when Liverpool clinched the 2005 title, and also claimed the FA Cup with Liverpool the following year.
Kewell said the timing was right to leave the game on his own terms.
"When I left Victory, I took a year out, but I didn't want it to end like that ... (now) I feel it's the right time, on my terms," he said.
The footballer said he is looking forward to spending more time with family.
"What's next for me? I can clearly start working on my golf swing...be a dad...and do the things many people take for granted."
Kewell is currently out of action after injuring his ribs but it's believed he is aiming to be fit for a farewell game against Western Sydney Wanderers at AAMI Park on 12 April.
Kewell was the Socceroos' youngest-ever debutant when he played his first game for Australia in 1996 against Chile at age 17 years and seven months.
The speedy and skilled attacker went on to score 17 goals in 56 appearances for the Socceroos, which included consecutive World Cups in Germany in 2006 and South Africa in 2010.
The former Leeds United, Liverpool and Galatasaray player signed with Heart this season in a bid to keep his 2014 Brazil World Cup chances alive.
He has played 15 games this season, scoring three goals and captaining the team.
Kewell's former Socceroos room-mate Mark Bosnich praised the decision to call time on his career and described him as "arguably one of Australia's greatest players ever".
"He's done the admirable thing by retiring now," Bosnich said.
Kewell was the first Australian-born player to win the UEFA Champions League when Liverpool clinched the 2005 title, and also claimed the FA Cup with Liverpool the following year.
He enjoyed some great moments playing for Australia, including his first goal for the Socceroos in the 1998 World Cup qualifier before an estimated 100,000 fans in Tehran, then his second goal in the return leg before 85,513 home fans at the MCG.
Kewell scored one of the penalties in the November 2005 shootout against Uruguay at Sydney's Olympic Stadium that sent the Socceroos to the 2006 World Cup.
And he followed it with a man-of-the-match performance and 79th-minute goal in the 2-2 draw with Croatia in the second game at that World Cup before a foot infection ruled him out of the knockout stage loss to Italy.
Injuries dogged his career and his 2010 World Cup was far less memorable than his first.
Omitted by coach Pim Verbeek for the heavy opening loss to Germany, he was then sent off in the next game for handball on the line. Ghana converting the resulting penalty in a 1-1 draw.
