Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has announced his retirement after being released by QPR.

Ferdinand was absent for the closing stages of the campaign. His wife, Rebecca Ellison, died after a battle with cancer on May 1.

Ferdinand said on BT Sport: "This season I really found out that it was time to hang the boots up and get back in the house and watch other people play the game."

Ferdinand began his career at West Ham, and made his England debut at the age of 19 in 1997, before leaving in an £18million transfer to Leeds in 2000. He subsequently moved across the Pennines to join Manchester United for £29.1million, which at the time of the deal in July 2002 was a world record fee for a defender.