Premier League winner and former Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis has announced his retirement from professional football.
The 36-year-old, who played this year for Malaga FC, lined out for Manchester City between 2013 and 2016. He was also part of the Argentina side who played in the 2014 World Cup final defeat to Germany.
"Unfortunately, this day comes to everyone," he said at a press conference today at the La Liga club.
"I had been thinking about it for some time. I always worried about the end of my career.
"I'm grateful to this profession but more so to Malaga for extending my career as a player and giving me the determination that a player needs to continue to be a professional and compete.
"I always thought that it would be a dream to end my career at Malaga and today I'm doing it."
He added: "It's life's law, I no longer have the strength in my legs, the level of concentration needed. The day has come, the end of my career and I just have to say thank you to football."
The Argentinian began his career with River Plate, before signing with German giants Bayern Munich in 2003.
He won four Bundesliga titles and four DFB Pokals with the German club, before joining Malaga on loan. Here, he worked under Manuel Pellegrini and made 84 appearances for the La Liga side.
After a brief spell with Atletico Madrid, he signed for Manchester City in 2013 to play for Pellegrini once again. As part of an emerging force in English football, he won one league title.
Demichelis also won the League Cup twice with Manchester City. He left the club last summer to join Espanyol but his one-year contract was terminated halfway through after making only one appearance.
His short-term deal with Malaga signalled the end of his playing career, having also made 51 appearances at international level.
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