TAMPA, Fla. -- The greatest closer of all-time, Mariano Rivera, will retire at the end of the 2013 season.

In a news conference at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Saturday morning, the 43-year-old Rivera made the expected announcement official with his family, Yankee owner Hal Steinbrenner and all his teammates, led by Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte, at his side.

"After this year, I will be retiring," said Rivera, flanked by his wife, Clara, and his two sons.

Before making the announcement, Rivera joked that general manager Brian Cashman broke team policy and gave him a three-year deal.

"It's not too easy when you come to a decision like this," Rivera said, turning serious. "After this year, I will be retired. ... Now you're hearing it from me. It's official now."

Rivera said he would have retired at the end of last season if he had not gotten hurt.

"I didn't want to leave like that," he said. "I felt like I wanted to give everything."

On Saturday afternoon, Rivera returned to game action for the first time since early May when he crumbled to the warning track shagging flies at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City. Rivera tore his ACL and had not faced an opponent in nearly a year.

Rivera, appearing in the fifth inning of a Grapefruit League game against the Atlanta Braves, retired the side in order, striking out the final two batters he faced, Juan Francisco and Chris Johnson. Both looked at third strikes.

"It was great to be on the mound again," a smiling Rivera said. "I feel wonderful. Everything went well."

Earlier in the news conference, asked how he wanted to end his career, Rivera said, "The last game I hope will be throwing the last pitch in the World Series.

"Winning the World Series, that would be my ambition."

With his retirement, Rivera will become the final major leaguer to wear No. 42. Rivera cherished the fact that he would be the last player to have the number because of what Jackie Robinson represented.

After 2013, Rivera plans on taking some time off to vacation with his family. He will devote even more time to his work with his church and eventually would like to mentor Yankee minor leaguers.

Before falling in Kansas City, Rivera planned on 2012 being his final season. Rivera wanted to finish his remarkable story in more upright fashion. The son of a fisherman, signed out of Panama for $3,000 to be a shortstop, Rivera vowed in Kansas City that he would not go out in such an ugly way.