Chelsea Legend Azpilicueta Announces Retirement After Glorious Career

(Cesar Azpilicueta. Photo by Chelsea FC)

Veteran Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta, formerly Chelsea’s captain and currently playing for Sevilla, has announced that he will hang up his boots at the end of the current season.

The 36-year-old made the announcement on social media on Friday.

During his decorated career, Azpilicueta claimed two Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy with Chelsea, and earned 44 caps representing the Spanish national team.

In his announcement, he reflected warmly on his journey, expressing gratitude for every experience the game had given him the victories, the difficult defeats, the challenges faced along the way, and above all, the relationships and friendships he built throughout his career.

He described his decision as the beginning of a new chapter in his life after years of living out his dream.

His final professional appearance is set to be Sevilla’s away fixture against Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Azpilicueta began his footballing journey with Spanish club Osasuna before moving to French side Marseille, and then joining Chelsea in 2012. Known for his versatility, he started out as a right-back but proved equally capable at centre-back and on the left side of defence throughout his career.

After spending over a decade at Stamford Bridge, where he rose to become club captain, he departed for Atletico Madrid in 2023 before joining Sevilla the following summer the club where his illustrious playing career will come to a close.