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Philadelphia Union's Brian Carroll retiring after 15 seasons in MLS

Philadelphia Union midfielder Brian Carroll announced his retirement on Thursday after 15 years in Major League Soccer.

Carroll, 36, has played for Philadelphia for the past seven years, though he has yet to appear in a game this season. He could get a send-off in Sunday's finale against Orlando City.

He began his career with D.C. United in 2003 and spent five seasons there before joining Columbus. He scored nine goals and never saw a red card.

Carroll's 370 regular-season appearances is the fourth-highest in MLS history behind Kyle Beckerman (430), Brad Davis (392) and Steve Ralston (378). His total of 30,778 minutes played is the sixth-most in the league, and the 13,818 minutes for the Union are the most for the club.

He won the MLS Cup with D.C. in 2004 and Columbus in 2008, and he is believed to be the only player to win the Supporters' Shield in four straight seasons -- the first two with D.C. in 2006-07, and the latter two with the Crew.

"As I look back on 15 years in MLS, it's been a fun ride: I've had a lot of great teammates and great coaches, and I had the privilege to represent a number of great cities and clubs," Carroll said in a statement.

"I'm extremely thankful for the opportunity, and I really enjoyed it. It was fun to win two MLS Cups and four Supporters' Shields, and along the way, to do my best to help grow the game and Major League Soccer."

Carroll made eight appearances for the U.S. national team, with the last coming in 2010. He said he plans to move to Indianapolis and become a financial planner.

"Brian Carroll is the definition of what it means to be a professional," Union coach Jim Curtin said. "From D.C. to Columbus as well as from the Union to the U.S. national team, his trophies and caps only tell a part of the story. He served as a mentor to players young and old, and he always played the game the right way.

"It was a privilege to have played against him as well as to have coached him throughout the years."

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