Alvaro Arbeloa: Final season at West Ham helped convince me to retire
Alvaro Arbeloa has admitted his season at West Ham helped convince him to hang up his boots.
The defender called time on a professional career spanning 15 years with an announcement in Spanish newspaper Marca.
Arbeloa, who also spent two years at Liverpool, won La Liga once and the Champions League twice during a seven-year spell at Real Madrid but made just three appearances at the London Stadium.
"I always thought I would play until my legs held out, but in the end it was a head and motivation issue," he told Marca.
"Many times you consider life in a way or see the future in a way, but life has other things prepared and you have to know how to accept them and face them.
"Things this season did not come out as I had dreamed. I am being honest with myself when I say goodbye."
He added: "It has been complicated. It’s something that when it comes to my mind I try not to think much about.
"At a professional level it has not been an easy year and that also has a personal impact, of course."