His final game in an 11-year MLS career will be against Real Madrid Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

Not a bad way to go out for a 33-year-old who had three separate stints with the Galaxy. The news wasn’t unexpected: Mathis’ knees reportedly could not longer take the pounding from soccer. He played all of 182 minutes for the Galaxy this season.

It has been an amazing and exciting ride, full of moments and people that will stay with me forever,” said Mathis in a prepared statement that did not address the reason for his retirement. “I cannot thank everyone who has been a part of this journey with me enough for all that you have done to help me enjoy such a fulfilling life in the sport of soccer.”

From the Galaxy press release:

A first round pick for the Galaxy in the 1998 MLS College Draft out of the University of South Carolina, Mathis burst onto the MLS scene as a rookie by scoring five goals and adding 10 assists as part of a Galaxy offense that scored an MLS record 85 goals. Following that season, Mathis made the first of his 46 appearances with the U.S. National Team, starting in midfield in a 0-0 draw with Australia that was also the U.S. debut as head coach for Bruce Arena. All 46 of his caps with the U.S. came under Arena, who included Mathis in the squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. There, Mathis registered the most memorable of his 12 international goals, scoring with a left-footed volley that gave the U.S. a 1-1 draw with the hosts South Korea and helped them reach the World Cup Quarterfinals for the first time since 1930 (the aftermath is at right).

“I have had the pleasure of coaching Clint with both the national team and in MLS with the Galaxy and Red Bulls and we will miss having his presence with the club for the rest of the season,” Bruce Arena said. “In his prime he was as good a goal scorer as our country has ever produced, as evidenced by his incredible goal against South Korea at the 2002 World Cup. We will miss Clint and are indebted to his contributions to MLS and U.S. Soccer.”

After finishing as the Galaxy’s third-leading scorer in 1999 with seven goals and three assists, Mathis was on pace for another fantastic season in 2000 when he was sent to the MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) in order to allow the Galaxy to sign Mexican international Luis Hernandez. In 21 games for the MetroStars that year, Mathis had 13 goals and 13 assists, including a league record five goals in a home win over Dallas. A finalist for the MLS MVP award that season and an All-Star for the first of four times in his career, Mathis finished the season with a career-high 16 goals and 14 assists while nearly helping the MetroStars reach MLS Cup for the first time.

He spent the next three years with the MetroStars and was the club’s leading scorer during that time, despite missing nearly a full year with a severe knee injury. He returned to New York in 2007 to play for the Red Bulls, scoring six times to become the club’s all-time leading scorer in all competitions, a record that was just recently surpassed by Juan Pablo Angel. His record breaking 45th and final goal for the club came in a 5-4 New York win over the Galaxy in front of more than 66,000 fans at Giants Stadium.

In addition to his time with the Galaxy and in New York, Mathis also spent time on either side of the Rocky Mountains, playing for both the Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake. The now 33-year-old Georgia native had two stints with RSL, joining the club for their inaugural 2005 season and then returning to the club in 2008 and helping them reach the postseason for the first time ever. One year later, Mathis had two goals and seven assists, his most since 2000, as he helped RSL win their first-ever MLS Cup championship by defeating the Galaxy on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes. Mathis played 98 minutes in that game after replacing the injured Javier Morales and converted his penalty kick in the game’s deciding shootout.

After his first season with RSL, Mathis was traded to Colorado where he spent one season, helping the club reach the Western Conference Championship, before being traded back to New York.

In addition to his time in MLS and with the National Team, Mathis also spent the better half of 18 months playing in Europe in both Germany and Greece. He signed with Hanover 96 of the German Bundesliga in January 2004 and spent 18 months with the club, scoring five times including once in his debut, before signing with Real Salt Lake in January 2005. He returned to Europe in January 2008, spending six months with Ergotelis of the Greek Super League. He scored once in eight appearances for the club and helped them avoid relegation before again signing with Real Salt Lake.

I will always remember the Galaxy letting Mathis go in May 2000 so they could acquire Luis Hernandez. He ended up with the then-MetroStars, promptly returned to Southern California with his new team and scored against the Galaxy in a 2-0 New York win.

Hernandez lasted just two seasons with the Galaxy, scoring 12 goals in 30 games.

And here’s that 2002 Mathis World Cup goal, Arena talked about: