Intro:

Steven Gerrard outlines the reasons behind his decision to retire from international duty with England at the age of 34.

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English): Steven Gerrard, retiring England captain:

"I've come to a decision after a lot of agonising and I have decided to step out of the England fold and retire from international duty.

SOUNDBITE (English): Steven Gerrard, retiring England captain:

"It was a very difficult decision to make. It's something that I've been contemplating for a long time - not just since the end of the World Cup. It's a decision that I took very serious, and it's been tough, it's swung both ways at times, I've had to take an awful lot of advice from people who are close to me, players who I still play with, ex-players who I played with a long time ago."

SOUNDBITE (English): Steven Gerrard, retiring England captain:

"I haven't made my decision on the back of the World Cup, I've made my decision on my age, on my body, on being fair to Liverpool Football Club, being respectful for them, especially with having the Champions League back - that was a huge factor. To ask my body now, the way it is and what it's been through, to play international football and domestic football was too much of an ask."

SOUNDBITE (English): Steven Gerrard, retiring England captain:

"There is a time when you're a football player where you've got to make the right decision, you've got to be - I don't know whether selfish is the right word because I'm not a selfish person - but I've had to think of me this time, and how can I perform well for Liverpool in the Champions League, how can I be available for every game and hit the performance levels that I like to play on. For me the best chance to do that is to get regular breaks during the season, and that will happen."