Tim Reem, the 38-year-old legendary captain of the U.S. national team, has officially retired.

Tim Ream, a 38-year-old defender who plays for Charlotte FC in MLS and is a former captain of the U.S. men's national team, officially announced his retirement from the national team on Tuesday.

The decision was announced ahead of the U.S. national team's friendly match against Chile in his hometown of St. Louis. During his 16-year career with the national team, Reem made 86 appearances, wearing the captain's armband 33 times.

Reim admitted that retiring was not a difficult decision: "Being able to captain the team at the World Cup held on home soil, what more can I ask for at nearly 39 years old? Age is the most important consideration."

Reem's career is legendary. He was named MLS Young Player of the Year in 2010, and then went to England to play for Fulham, making over 300 appearances and helping the team gain promotion to the Premier League three times.

His experience with the national team was equally dramatic. After his debut in 2010, Reim faded from the spotlight for a period in 2018, but then remarkably amassed 60 appearances. He not only secured a starting position in the 2022 World Cup, reaching the round of 16, but also served as captain under Pochettino, winning two CONCACAF Nations League titles with the team.

Speaking about the future, Reem highly praised the new generation of players, including Calvin Sullivan, saying that the strong confidence shown by the younger generation is inspiring. Reem confirmed that he will continue to play for Charlotte FC, but has not yet decided on his future in MLS after this season.

Image source: Internet