The soccer stars who hung up their cleats in 2017

The soccer stars who hung up their boots in 2017 - For any soccer fan, these players' retirement is sad news. They are stars who have shone on pitches and in stadiums all over the world in the most prestigious competitions. Over the years they have brought joy to fans, but age has caught up to them. Click on and see which players are leaving the pitch for good this year.

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Francesco Totti - He's seen by most as a legend in the world of soccer. Totti is the 'eternal captain' of Roma. He won one league title, two Italian Cups and two Italian Supercups with the club. He is also the highest-scoring player, and the player with the most appearances for the Roman club.

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Francesco Totti - He has 58 caps and 9 goals for the Italian national team. He was part of the team that won the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and finished runner-up in the 2000 European Championships.

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Francesco Totti - Totti said goodbye on the 28th of May. The eternal captain of the Italian team took to the pitch in tears, in front of a full stadium at 40-years-old, 25 of which he spent at the service of the Roman team.

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Frank Lampard - The Englishman spent most of his career at Chelsea, where he played for 13 years. Lampard won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two English League Cups, two Community Shields, one Champions League title and one Europa League title for the London club.

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Frank Lampard - For the English national team, Lampard took part in several big competitions, though he never won any of them.

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Frank Lampard - In 2015, he went to play for the MLS in the United States, eventually being loaned to Manchester City. In February he announced he would retire, aged 38, after refusing offers from several other clubs.

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Kaká - The Brazilian was the last player to receive the World Player of the Year Award before Ronaldo and Messi, in 2007. He was at the peak of his powers at AC Milan where he won one Italian Championship, one Italian Supercup, one Champions League title, a European Supercup and one Club World Cup Championship.

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Kaká - For the Brazilian national team, Kaká's highlight was winning the World Cup in 2002. In 2009, he moved to Real Madrid where he suffered a series of injuries which kept him off the pitch for quite a while.

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Kaká - From the 'merengues' he went to the MLS, Orlando City to be precise. In October it was revealed that Kaká would not renew his contract with the American club. However, at age 35, it is still not certain if the player will make a return to the field.

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Andrea Pirlo - The Italian made a name for himself in the football world with his performances for AC Milan. At the Italian club, Pirlo won two Italian championships, one Italian Cup, one Italian Supercup, two Champions League titles, two European Supercups and a Club World Cup.

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Andrea Pirlo - At the service of the Italian national team, Pirlo continued to show his class on the field. The midfielder was part of the team that won the World Cup in 2006.

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Andrea Pirlo - In 2011 he didn't want to renew his contract and headed to Milan's rival Juventus. He won four Italian championships and one Italian cup. In 2015 he went to play in the MLS in the United States and announced his retirement this year, aged 38.

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Dirk Kuyt - The Dutchman played for several clubs, including Liverpool. He was part of the team that was defeated in the Champions League final by AC Milan.

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Dirk Kuyt - Kuyt was a regular in the Dutch national team and took part in several big international tournaments. He was in the team that was defeated in the 2010 World Cup Final by Spain.

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Dirk Kuyt - At 36-years-old, the Dutchman retired. The decision came shortly after winning the Dutch championship with Feyenoord.

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Philipp Lahm - The German was one of the key players for Bayern Munich and the German national team for years. For the German club he won all there is to win, including nine German championships and one Champions League.

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Philipp Lahm - For the German national team Lahm played in three World Cups, as well as being a key player in the team that won the 2014 World Cup. He was capped 113 times by the national team, from which he retired in 2014.

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Philipp Lahm - Despite not having retired yet, the player confirmed it will happen at the end of this season. The German is 34-years-old now.

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Xabi Alonso - The Spanish player played for several clubs, notably Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Among the numerous titles he won with these teams, the two Champions League titles he won (one with Liverpool, one with Real Madrid) are the ones that stand out.

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Xabi Alonso - For the Spanish national team, Alonso won two European Championships and one World Cup.

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Xabi Alonso - In March the Spaniard revealed he would hang up his boots. It happened at the end of the season, ending his time with the German club Bayern Munich, aged 36.

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Steven Gerrard - Gerrard was the key player for Liverpool for many years. He played for the English club between 1998 and 2015, where he was captain of the team. With Liverpool he won one Champions League, one UEFA Cup and two FA Cups, among others.

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Steven Gerrard - For the English national team, Gerrard was always called up for the big tournaments and was one of the key figures for the team. He retired from international football in 2014, with 114 caps.

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Steven Gerrard - In 2015 he went to the United States to play for LA Galaxy. At the end of 2016 he retired and played no games in 2017.

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