Former Barcelona and Inter full-back Martín Montoya retires at 35

Spanish right-back Martín Montoya has officially called time on his professional playing career at the age of 35. Over the years, the defender turned out for Barcelona, Inter, Valencia, Real Betis, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Aris, collecting trophies and logging more than a decade at the top level. Montoya broke the news via social media, thanking football for the journey and explaining his decision. "After so many years dedicated to the game, it's time to say goodbye to professional football. This is a fully considered decision. I leave with the feeling that I gave everything I had, that I enjoyed this ride, and that football gave me so much more than just a ball — people, friends, and lessons I took from every club. At the core of this decision is a personal and psychological need, as well as a desire to put my family first. And I do this with enthusiasm because I feel the best is yet to come. Thank you, football, for everything," he wrote. Montoya's retirement closes a chapter that saw him develop through Barcelona's youth system, play in Italy, England, and Spain, and end his career in Greece.