Peter Schmeichel has announced he is to retire at the end of this season. Manchester City's veteran Danish goalkeeper believes the time has come for him to bow out before his body starts to let him down.
The 39-year-old told the Sunday Times: "My body is not happy any more.
"I always promised I'd move on when this moment arrived. It's time to end my playing career."
Schmeichel - whose professional career began with Danish club Hvidovre 19 years ago - won the Champions League, five Premiership titles, three FA Cups and a League Cup with City's illustrious Manchester rivals United.
He quit Old Trafford for Sporting Lisbon after the Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich in 1999, only to return to England with Aston Villa two years ago and then Manchester with City at the start of this season.
He acknowledged: "My retirement has come in phases. I left Manchester United in 1999 so that I could play somewhere less hectic and have more time to recover between games.
"It has taken a month of soul-searching to make this decision, the most difficult of my life.
"It's hard to accept that at 4.50pm at Maine Road on May 11 the final whistle will sound on more than just another game and another season.
"There's a time to let go, to get on with my life. It's over."