Kevin Phillips has confirmed that he will retire from football at the end of the season.

At the age of 40 and having been a part of the Leicester City squad that has won the Championship title this Season, the striker has decided that it is the "right time" for him to end his career.

"I will play my final game for Leicester on Saturday, at our home ground, having won the Championship title - and that seems like the perfect way to bow out," he told Sky Sports News.

"After a lot of consideration and time spent talking with my family, the Leicester manager Nigel Pearson and my agent, I think the time has come. I turn 41 in July and I just feel now, with sore ankles and the way my body is, it's not going to get any easier.

"All my family will be at the King Power Stadium this weekend and it's going to be emotional. However, although it's going to be a strange feeling leaving the pitch for the final time as a player, now's the right time."

Phillips, who played for 9 clubs professionally - most notably for Sunderland - represented England at senior international level on eight occasions.

Writing in his blog for Sky Sports, Phillips said: “The club I'm sure most football fans associate me with is Sunderland. That was where I made my name and I've still got huge affection for that football club.

"Whenever I go back there I'm always made to feel very welcome and I have to give [the fans] a huge thank you for their support.”

Having broken through at Watford, Phillips joined Sunderland for a bargain £325,000 in July 1997 – and both parties never looked back.

His final tally of 134 goals was reached in just 239 games, including a 35-goal campaign in 1997-98 which saw Phillips become the first Sunderland player since Brian Clough to notch more than 30 goals in a season.

After winning the Division One title with Sunderland in 1998-99, the 1999-00 season saw Phillips claim the European Golden Boot as the continent’s top scorer – to date he remains the last Englishman to have achieved that feat.

Philips will remain with Leicester, joining the coaching staff next season.