Manchester City and Spain icon David Silva has announced his retirement from football at the age of 37.
The Real Sociedad midfielder has decided to hang up his boots after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which would have left him facing a long road to recovery over the coming months.
The World Cup winner, who will turn 38 in January, announced his retirement in a post on Thursday afternoon.
"Today is a sad day for me," he said in an emotional video posted on his social media channels. "Today it is time to say goodbye to what I have dedicated my whole life to. Today it is time to say goodbye to my colleagues, who are like family to me. I will miss you very much."
"Ches (Valencia), Armeros (Eibar), Celtiñas (Celta Vigo), Citizens (Man City) and Txuri Urdines (Real Sociedad)… thank you because you have made me feel at home."
Muchas gracias…fútbol pic.twitter.com/HoB6TPojAdJuly 27, 2023
Silva won four Premier League titles and two FA Cups in a 10-year spell at Manchester City and will go down as one of the club's greatest-ever players.
After leaving City in 2020, the Canarian midfielder returned to LaLiga with Real Sociedad and has spent three successful seasons in San Sebastian.
He won a Copa del Rey with the Basque outfit and was instrumental in their return to the Champions League as they finished fourth last term.
With Spain, Silva won 125 caps and scored 35 goals. He was part of the squad which won the World Cup in 2010 and back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012.
