Alvaro Arbeloa insinuates West Ham nightmare drove him to retirement

 

Alvaro Arbeloa is the cover star for Saturday’s edition of Marca. The former Real Madrid defender spent last season at West Ham, having moved to the Premier League club on a free transfer, but he’s now decided to call it a day.

Marca asked Arbeloa if his West Ham experience was the most difficult season of his career, to which the Spaniard replied: “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.”

The Spanish newspaper weren’t afraid to ask if Arbeloa’s West Ham nightmare was a reason behind the decision to retire, and the 34 year old suggested it had very much had an impact: “I always thought I would play until my legs held out, but in the end it was a head and motivation issue. 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.”

Arbeloa isn’t blaming West Ham, but it seems clear his struggles there were at least a steep learning curve, and made the player clear that retirement was the correct option to now take.

So what now? He’ll just chill on the yacht for a little longer before returning to live in Madrid and starting a new, as yet unknown, career.