Kip Colvey lunges in to win the ball off Christian Cueva during last year's World Cup qualifier against Peru.

All Whites defender Kip Colvey has sensationally walked away from professional football after losing his love for the game at 24.

The 15-cap international has announced that he will retire as soon as his current contract with the Colorado Rapids expires on January 1, after failing to secure an extension on his 12-month deal with the Major League Soccer club.

While there were numerous factors behind his shock decision to hang up his boots just three years into a promising pro career, Colvey told Stuff he has lost the passion for the sport and wants to pursue another job with better long-term financial security.

"I know it might sound a little bit stuck-up that I'm giving up some opportunities that some people might give a lot to have, but it just doesn't make sense financially for me and that's the biggest reason, but there's a lot of reasons if I'm brutally honest," he said.

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PHILLIP ROLLO/STUFF Kip Colvey was raised in the Marlborough Sounds.

While other players in MLS command multi-million dollar salaries, Colvey was one of the lowest earners on US$67,500 ($99,450) and his three seasons have been spent largely on the fringes.

He will now pursue an entirely different career as a physician's assistant and plans to spend the next four years studying at a university in Denver in order to achieve that goal.

"Football has been great, especially the national team stuff and being able to travel the world and play in some pretty special games, but looking forward into my future, financially it hasn't quite given me the financial security that I was looking for.

"Looking 10-12 years in the future, I feel like football is something that is slowing me down and I don't think it's giving me the lifestyle I want to have."

Born in Hawaii and raised in the Marlborough Sounds, Colvey represented New Zealand at under-17 and under-23 level before making his All Whites debut against Fiji in 2016.

He dedicated much of his life towards the sport in order to achieve his childhood dream of becoming a professional footballer, moving to Nelson and Christchurch to further his development before returning to the United States after landing a scholarship at California Polytechnic State University.

After a couple of standout seasons with Cal Poly, Colvey finally reached the pro ranks when he was drafted and signed by San Jose Earthquakes. He made his MLS debut in the opening game of the 2016 season with his family watching on proudly in the stands.

A call-up to the All Whites followed Colvey's rapid elevation and he went on to represent his country 15 times. His biggest games were against Russia at the Confederations Cup and the two World Cup qualifiers against Peru.

USA TODAY Kip Colvey made his MLS debut in San Jose's opening game of the 2016 season.

"It'll be hard knowing I'm walking away when I could have had more caps but that's part of the decision that I made.

"I'm really looking forward to enjoying other parts of my life, having given so much to the game ever since I went to high school. Even though I've only been a professional for a few years it's been fulltime for me for a lot more than that."

While he was proud of his achievements on the international stage, Colvey couldn't hide his disappointment when looking back on the limited contributions he made at club level. With just seven appearances across three seasons with San Jose and Colorado, Colvey never managed to establish himself in MLS and he was regularly loaned out to clubs in the second-tier United Soccer League.

Colvey said he could foresee a future bouncing between MLS and USL if he was to continue playing football for a living, and having moved around so much during his youth, he was ready to settle down.

GETTY IMAGES Kip Colvey tangles with Fedor Smolov during New Zealand's clash with Confederations Cup hosts Russia.

"Sometimes I felt like I haven't enjoyed the game as much as I used to and that's another big factor me. Obviously with my contract being declined by the Rapids I'm looking at probably a USL contract or going on trial with another team somewhere," he said.

"What I have to do to reach where I want to be in football, it might take me a few years and even then there's no guarantee that I'll get there in the end. If I wanted to keep playing I'd have to give up some other things in my life that I don't want to give up right now and I'd probably have to move again.

"There's some players who will be at one club for a long time, like Andrew Durante and others in MLS, they're on decent contracts and it's really good for them. But I'm not one of those guys who have proven themselves in MLS or in another league so clubs can't offer me big money contracts that are guaranteed for multiple years. Until I become one of those guys I would just be a one-year, semi-guaranteed in MLS or one-year in USL.

"But beyond that year you don't know where you're going to be unless you're playing week in, week out and doing really well. I can't plan anything for the future because I have no idea where I'm going to be next year and that's one thing that people don't see that side of it."