Demotivated Spanish football defender Arbeloa quits

Madrid (AFP) – Spanish international defender Alvaro Arbeloa revealed Saturday he was quitting football despite the possibility of playing in China or the United States.

The 34-year-old former Real Madrid, Liverpool and West Ham player told Spanish sports daily Marca he has lost his motivation.

“The time has come to say goodbye. I’ve decided to hang up my studs and quit football,” Arbeloa, who won the World Cup and two European championship titles with Spain, told Marca.

“Many encouraged me to continue because physically I can keep playing. But it was more a psychological question.”

Capped 56 times for Spain, Arbeloa began his club career with Real Madrid. 

He moved to England in 2007 where he played three seasons with Liverpool before returning to Real Madrid, winning the Liga title and Champions League twice before moving to West Ham in August 2016.

The move to London proved an unhappy one and the Spaniard made just three appearances during a “complicated” season.

“It’s something I try not to think too much about,” he said. “At a professional level it wasn’t an easy year and that also had repercussions on a personal level.

“For me football was a battle day after day, to be in competition and the option to continue playing in China or the United States now, when I think about it, it doesn’t motivate me.

“The moment has come to say ‘enough’ because what is presented to me is not what I loved in football.”