Almost twenty years after making his professional debut for Manchester United in the League Cup, Ireland's John O'Shea is reportedly set to retire from football at the end of the season.
Having spent 12 seasons under Alex Ferguson at United, the 116-cap O'Shea is currently in his seventh season with Sunderland.
A multiple Premier League winner, the Waterford man also claimed winners medals in the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup throughout his illustrious United career.
Making his senior international debut under Mick McCarthy in 2001, O'Shea would go on to make 115 further appearances for his country; placing him third overall in terms of Ireland's most-capped internationals.
One of the most memorable moments in an Ireland jersey came on the occasion of O'Shea's 100th cap. Captaining Ireland as they went to Gelsenkirchen to take on the world champions Germany, O'Shea grabbed a precious late equaliser to give Martin O'Neill's side a priceless 1-1 draw.
An incredibly fruitful career, only the likes of fellow Irish internationals Roy Keane, Denis Irwin, Ronnie Whelan and Steve Heighway can boast more winners medals.
Mostly remembered for his ten seasons in and around the first-team squad at United, O'Shea's positional flexibility was perceived as a determining factor in his involvement with what many regard as Ferguson's most impressive squad.
Scarcely seen as an indispensable member of the team, O'Shea nonetheless averaged 42 games a season with the club. In the 2008/09 season, with United going for successive Champions League wins, O'Shea featured 12 times on their European run; starting at right full-back for United's unsuccessful final defeat to Pep Guardiola's Barcelona.
With his first-team opportunities dwindling however, O'Shea left the club in 2011 to join former Manchester United man Steve Bruce at Sunderland.
Over the course of his international career, O'Shea featured for Ireland in two major tournaments during Euro 2012 and 2016. If O'Shea does go through with the reported plan to retire at the end of this season, his final appearance may come against Wolves on May 6th.
