Spain’s World Cup-winning captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas announced his retirement from the professional game at the age of 39 on Tuesday.

The former Real Madrid skipper had called time on his five-year spell with side Porto in July after his contract with the Portuguese club expired.

Casillas had suffered a heart attack during a training session last year and has not played any competitive football since April 2019.

“The important thing is the path you travel and the people who accompany you, not where it takes you, because that comes with work and effort alone, and I think I can say, without hesitation, that the path I have taken is the one I dreamt about #Thanks,” Casillas said on Twitter.

Casillas was given a role on Porto’s technical staff at the start of last season and was included in the first-team squad, although he was never named in a matchday squad.

Reuters