Real Madrid Defender's exclusively announcement to MARCA

Arbeloa: More than a goodbye

In an exclusive interview that will be published this Saturday, Alvaro Arbeloa will explain the reasons why he is retiring from professional football.

The defender, who last season played for West Ham after saying goodbye to the club of his life, Real Madrid, decided to hang up his boots after a lot of thought.

And he chose MARCA to announce it officially.

The full interview will be found in the newspaper, at Marca.com and also at Marca.com/en, but here are a few early snippets.

"It's time to say goodbye," he said.

"Physically I was ok to keep playing."

His year at West Ham wasn't good and will be his last after a career that included seven seasons as a player of the first team at Real Madrid.

"Madrid is the club of my life, I will never call to ask for a job, but I am always available to offer myself."

Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, James, Morata, Carvajal and of course, Pique... many are the names that are mentioned in the interview.

"Your detractors will be hiding in a cave," he said about Real president, Florentino Perez.