He made 56 England appearances and appeared in three World Cup tournaments after making his debut aged 19 following an impressive start to his career at West Ham.
Cole said in a statement on Tuesday: “After 20 years as a professional, the time has come for me to hang up my boots. It has been a dream come true. All of it. Whatever is next, I hope the next two decades are as special as my last 20 years as a professional have been. A huge thanks to everyone who helped me along that path.”




















