The 33-year-old announced his decision to step away on Instagram and admitted he had been "dreading" the day when he closed his competitive career.

"Still, it feels right to have made that decision," he said.

"I've almost always been hungry to get better. 

"Now, I do not feel the same hunger and I think younger athletes deserve a go.

"I am incredibly proud to have been part of the cross-country team for the last 10 years.

"I have experienced so much and been part of a fantastic performance environment, where I have been able to develop.

"In the time ahead, I will still train a lot. 

"Beyond that, I look forward to tackling new challenges, one of which is to complete the final year of study in industrial economics."

Brandsdal competed at two Olympic Games, Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018.

He finished ninth in the sprint on his first appearance in Russia.

In all, he finished on the podium at the World Cup 24 times, and he was second in the overall sprint rankings in 2014 and 2015.