Former Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has announced his retirement from professional football.
Azpilicueta will call time on his career at the end of the current campaign, following almost 800 club appearances and 44 caps during a decade-long international career with Spain.
The 36-year-old has endured an injury-hit campaign at Sevilla in La Liga and has now announced his retirement.
Azpilicueta began his career at Osasuna, before catching Chelsea’s eye during a two-season spell with Marseille.
After joining the West Londoners in August 2012 for just £7m, the defender spent 11 years at Stamford Bridge and made 508 appearances, a record for a non-English player.
Affectionately nicknamed ‘Dave’ by teammates who struggled to pronounce his surname, Azpilicueta won nine trophies with the Blues, including two Premier League titles and the Champions League.
He returned to Spain with Atletico Madrid in 2023, before joining Sevilla last summer. The Spaniard has announced his retirement with a goodbye message on social media.
❤️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/zQXV79ildS
— César Azpilicueta (@CesarAzpi) May 22, 2026
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