Santi Cazorla announces retirement from professional football

Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla has announced his retirement from professional football. Reports differ on his exact age at retirement, citing either 41 or 42 years old. Over his career, he played for Villarreal, Recreativo Huelva, Malaga, Arsenal, Al-Sadd, and Real Oviedo. Cazorla won two European Championships with the Spanish national team and secured 13 career titles. Throughout his tenure, he overcame a severe injury that required eight surgeries and caused gangrene, resulting in the loss of eight centimeters of his Achilles tendon. After returning to his youth club, Real Oviedo, he helped them achieve promotion to La Liga in 2023, though the team was subsequently relegated. He concluded his career with 774 club appearances, 144 goals, and 156 assists. The official announcement was made via a video on his social media platform X.