FORMER Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has announced his retirement from professional football.
The 42-year-old, who currently plays for Como, will hang up his gloves for good following the club’s final match of the season against Inter Milan on Friday.
GettyPepe Reina has announced his retirement[/caption]
GettyThe goalkeeper will hang up his gloves this week[/caption]
Announcing the news in a chat with Movistar+ this week, Reina said: “A very beautiful career is coming to an end, a very full life.
“I feel very fortunate for what I’ve experienced.
“It’s been many years… I didn’t expect it, but I think the time has come and I feel like bringing it to a close here.”
Reina went on to reveal when he made the decision.
He continued: “I decided to quit last January. I spoke with my wife, and we decided together.
“The satisfaction is that now I want it to end. Last summer there was a moment when I had a hard time, because I couldn’t find a project that excited me and I had that little thorn in my side.
“I had more to offer and this year has been the one that has made me see that I am now empty, in the sense that I can no longer offer more to football from this position.”
The Spaniard went on to add: “I am very fortunate. It has been a privilege.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
“Now you don’t value it so much, but when I look back we will continue to be one of the leading teams in history, I have been very lucky. I’ve shared a dressing room with some great people.”
Reina kicked his professional playing career off in 1999 with Barcelona‘s C team.
Bradley Ormesher – The TimesThe goalkeeper made almost 400 appearances for Liverpool[/caption]
He then went on to make his first team debut the following year and appeared 49 times for the La Liga giants.
The goalkeeper moved on to Villarreal in 2002 and spent three years with the Spanish side, helping them qualify for the Champions League for the first time.
From there, he then went on to join Liverpool and established himself as a club legend.
Reina made 394 appearances for the Reds, kept 177 clean sheets and won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Supercup, narrowly missing out on the Champions League following a defeat to AC Milan in the 2006-07 final.
A one-year stint at Bayern Munich followed his time in Merseyside and after that he joined Napoli.
He went on to play for AC Milan, Lazio and enjoyed a loan spell with Aston Villa before making a return to Villarreal in 2022.
But last year he decided to join former Spain team-mate Cesc Fabregas at Como.
The goalkeeper has been limited to 12 appearances this season.
Reina also enjoyed a successful international career with Spain.
He was capped 36 times by La Roja and won the World Cup along with two European Championship titles.
After hanging up his gloves, Reina is set to return to Villarreal to become a coach.
The goalkeeper is in line to take charge of the club’s Under-19s.
ReutersReina won the World Cup with Spain in 2010[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
