Hasselbaink retires from football

Dutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has announced his retirement from professional football.

The 36-year-old played for Championship side Cardiff last season, but was not offered a new deal by the Bluebirds.

"He had offers to play in the Middle East, which he didn't want to do," said Hasselbaink's agent Humphrey Nijman.

Hasselbaink played for Leeds, Chelsea, Middlesbrough and Charlton and scored nine times for the Netherlands, playing for them in the 1998 World Cup.

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He scored 128 goals in the Premier League, making him one of the English game's highest goalscorers in recent times.

"It is Jimmy's ambition now to become a coach," added Nijman of a player who never played in his own domestic league.

Hasselbaink spent part of the summer training with Norwich City but that was just to keep himself fit.

He joined Leeds from Portuguese side Boavista in 1997, played for Chelsea between 2000-2004, spent two years with Boro and then a season each with Charlton and Cardiff.

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