He also spent time at Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Major League Soccer club Toronto during his 22-year career.

"It's been a really tough decision," Defoe wrote in a statement.

"I made my professional debut at 17-years-old in 1999, and I feel now is the right time to bow out."

Diminutive forward Defoe scored 162 Premier League goals, making him the ninth highest scorer in the league since its formation in 1992-93.

He is also 15th in the appearances list, having played 496 games in England's top flight.

Defoe's Sunderland return was marked by a late night social media unveiling on January's deadline day, in which the veteran striker described the return as "special for many reasons".

However, he failed to reach the heights of his first spell, making just seven appearances - of which just two were starts - and failing to score for the League One promotion-chasers.

While a prominent international, to many non-football fans Defoe will be best known for his friendship with terminally ill Sunderland fan Bradley Lowery, who died in 2017, aged six, after a long cancer illness.

"Jermain is a legend," Lowery's mother Gemma said. "Like all Sunderland fans, we will be sad to see him leave the game.

"We are so grateful that football brought Jermain into our lives and we will hold the memories with Brad forever."

Defoe became close with Sunderland fan Bradley Lowery as he battled neuroblastoma

His work through the Jermain Defoe Foundation also brought him an OBE in 2018 for services to charity.

"Football will always remain in my blood and it gives me great pride and satisfaction to look back on the blessed career I've had," Defoe added.

"I now look forward to spending some quality time with my friends and family before moving forward on this next chapter in my career."

Defoe thanked fans, coaches, team-mates and staff at all his clubs for "playing such an integral part" in his career, while also paying tribute to those closest to him.

"Lastly I want to say thank you to my mum, you gave me a ball at two years old and made me believe my dream could happen."

Defoe's career timeline

• Signed by West Ham from Charlton as a 16-year-old in 1999 for a compensation fee of £1m-plus
• Went on loan to Bournemouth in Division Two in 2000-01 and scored in 10 successive Football League games to equal a league record
• Established himself in the West Ham team under Harry Redknapp, going on to score 40 goals in 104 games before joining Tottenham for £7m in 2004
• Made England debut against Sweden in March 2004, as a substitute for Darius Vassell
• Became a crowd favourite at White Hart Lane in his first spell, netting 64 goals in 177 matches
• Returned to the south coast with Portsmouth in 2008, missed out on the FA Cup final as a cup-tied player, but scored in Pompey's first European appearance
• Rejoined Spurs a year after his exit, helping them to a League Cup final before missing out on the showpiece through injury
• Equalled record for most goals in a Premier League game with five against Wigan, and became Spurs' sixth highest all-time goalscorer and the club's most prolific scorer in Europe
• Scored against Slovenia at 2010 World Cup, netting an England hat-trick against Bulgaria later the same year
• Joined MLS side Toronto in 2014 but returned to the Premier League with Sunderland, scoring a Tyne-Wear derby winner against Newcastle and twice helping the Black Cats escape relegation
• Returned to Bournemouth for a second spell after Sunderland's relegation from the top flight in 2017, then moved to the Scottish Premiership with Rangers in 2019 on an initial loan deal, winning his first league title with the Gers in 2020-21

Jermain Defoe was a goalscorer at all of his clubs, including West Ham, Spurs, Sunderland and Rangers