DaMarcus Beasley to retire at end of Houston Dynamo season

HOUSTON (AP) — DaMarcus Beasley says he will retire after 20 years in professional soccer when the Houston Dynamo finish their season.

The midfielder and left back turns 37 this week and is the only American to either play in four World Cups or appear in a European Champions League semifinal.

Beasley said on Twitter on Monday he appreciates “all the loves, cheers and jeers throughout these 20 years,” adding that “being on the pitch has fulfilled every dream I could have ever imagined.”

Beasley grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, won the Silver Ball as the No. 2 player behind teammate Landon Donovan at the 1999 Under-17 World Championship when the U.S. reached the semifinals.

He scored 17 goals in 126 international appearances from 2001-17 and played for the Chicago Fire (2000-04), PSV Eindhoven (2004-06), Manchester City (2006-07), Glasgow Rangers (2007-10), Hannover (2010-11), Puebla (2011-14) and Houston (2014-19).

Beasley had four goals in 12 matches for PSV during the 2004-05 Champions League and played in the first leg of the semifinals against AC Milan. He missed the second leg because of a knee injury, and AC Milan advanced on away goals.