LONDON, July 21 (Xinhua) -- England captain Steve Gerrard announced his retirement from international football on Monday.

Gerrard, 34, earned 114 caps. His last appearance came against Costa Rica at the World Cup last month as England were eliminated from the group stage.

"After a lot of agonising, I've decided to step out of the England fold and retire from international duty," the Liverpool midfielder told the Football Association website.

"It was a very difficult decision to make, it is something that I have been contemplating for a long time, and not just since the end of the World Cup."