Alvaro Arbeloa: Former Liverpool and West Ham defender retires
Last updated on .From the section European Football
Former Liverpool, Real Madrid and West Ham defender Alvaro Arbeloa has announced his retirement.
The 34-year-old former Spain full-back made three Premier League appearances for the Hammers last season before being released.
He spent three years with the Reds before returning to Madrid, for whom he made his senior debut, in 2009.
Arbeloa won one La Liga title and the Champions League twice at Madrid before signing for West Ham last August.
"It's time to say goodbye," he said. "Physically I was OK to keep playing."
He made more than 200 appearances in total for Liverpool, Madrid and West Ham between 2007 and 2017 and was capped 56 times by Spain.
He was part of his country's World Cup-winning squad in 2010 and helped them win the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca he suggested he would be open to a return to the Bernabeu.
"Madrid is the club of my life, I will never call to ask for a job, but I am always available to offer myself," he said.
