Rio Ferdinand's England career highs and lows – in pictures

Ferdinand made his England debut aged 19 in a friendly match against Cameroon in 1997. Photograph: Popperfoto/Popperfoto/Getty Images

He scored his first of three international goals against Denmark in the 2002 World Cup. Photograph: Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images

The second came in a World Cup qualifier against Russia in 2007 at Wembley. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

His final England goal – scored in 2008's World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

In the mid-2000s, Ferdinand became a pivotal player for Sven-Göran Eriksson. Photograph: John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images

Ferdinand was handed the captaincy by Fabio Capello in 2008, although he lost it to John Terry in the same year. Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

Although reinstated as England captain in 2010 ahead of the World Cup, a knee injury meant he sat out the majority of the season. Photograph: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

Ferdinand with John Terry. The pair later fell out over Terry's racial abuse of Ferdinand's brother Anton. Many believed that this was the reason for his omission from England's Euro 2012 squad. Photograph: Tony O'Brien/Action Images

After being recalled to face Montenegro in 2013, Ferdinand had to pull out due to fitness concerns. Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Ferdinand's last England appearance: 4 June 2011 in a Euro 2012 qualifying match against Switzerland. He announced his retirement from international football on Wednesday, ending his 16-year international career, spanning 81 caps. Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images