RANGERS flop Bruno Alves has announced that he will retire from football after a 20-year career.
At 40-years-old, the Portuguese international is stepping away from the game, some five years after Rangers fans learned his name.
The defender joined the Gers from Italian side Cagliari in 2017 as fellow flop Pedro Caixinha's first signing for the club.
Despite the set-piece specialist bagging a few marvellous goals, his spell at Ibrox was not a successful one.
Hampered by injury, he made only 20 appearances in blue before finishing third in the league and having his contract torn up with a year remaining when Steven Gerrard took the wheel.
Outside of Scotland Alves was well-decorated, with 96 international caps for Portugal, including as part of the Euro 2016 winning side.
He also saw no less than six top-flight league titles between Porto, Zenit Saint Petersburg, and Fenerbahce before failing to add to that list in Scotland.
After his failure at Ibrox he spent three seasons back in Italy with Parma before spending what would be his last season in Greece, sadly suffering relegation with Apollon Smyrnis.
He took to Instagram to say: “Today I communicate that I finish my football playing career.
“I’m grateful for everything and all clubs, managers, teammates, coaches and people who were involved in my sporting life.
“Thank you to my family and friends for all the support at all times.
“Journey that ends but other opportunities will arise see you soon
“THANK YOU.”
Alves is not the first Caixinha-signed Rangers disaster to announce the end of their playing career recently, as Mexican striker Eduardo Herrera is also hanging up his boots as announced last month.
