Iconic Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic, who scored the winning goal against England in the semifinals of the World Cup in 2018, has retired from the game, three years after playing his last international.

Axar.az reports that the 35-year-old announced his decision in a post on Instagram, which included a photo of a pair of boots, on Friday night.

"While you put on these boots for the first time, you can't even imagine what you will get to experience in football," he wrote in a message in English addressed to his young self, "Dear little Mario", and signed "Your big Mario".

"You'll recognize the moment to retire, to put these boots in a cabinet and you'll have no regrets."

Mandzukic appeared 89 times for Croatia scoring 33 goals, he also played Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Juventus and appeared 11 times this year for AC Milan. Plagued by injury he was used mostly as a substitute and did not score a goal.