Pedro Rodríguez announces retirement at 39

Pedro Rodríguez announced on Wednesday that he was bringing his football career to a definitive end. The Spaniard, a former player for Barcelona, Chelsea, Roma and Lazio, is retiring at 39 after nearly 20 years on the pitch, with notable milestones and achievements at club and international level.

The decision comes after his spell at Lazio ended last June. Pedro had spent five seasons there and had been without a club since leaving, before deciding to retire.

He made the announcement on his official social media accounts. “I feel that the moment has come. The moment has come to take a step forward and begin a new stage of my life,” he wrote. He also said: “I leave proud to have lived my dream, and of all the people who stood by me to make it happen. Thank you, football, because it made me very happy.”

Pedro played 65 international matches for Spain and scored 17 goals. He remains associated with the golden generation that helped the Roja win the 2010 World Cup and a European Championship. His retirement brings to a close a career spanning both club football and the international stage.