Real Madrid legend Raul has announced he is to retire from the game at the end of the MLS season.
The 38-year-old has spent one year with New York Cosmos after a glittering career in Europe with Real Madrid and a stint in the Bundesliga with Schalke.
The former Spain international, who played more than 700 times with Los Blancos and was the club’s leading scorer until Ronaldo overtook him two weeks ago, said now was the time to listen to his body after so many years at the top of the game.
He said in a statement he has no plans yet post-retirement amid talk he could return to the Santiago Bernabeu in a coaching capacity.
“When I signed for the New York Cosmos in December, I said I would evaluate how I felt towards the end of the year and assess whether I would continue to play. My decision is to retire from playing at the end of this season. I am fully focused on finishing the season strong and helping the New York Cosmos win the NASL Championship. In the coming months I will decide the next step in my career,” he said in a statement.
He added: “Playing soccer has been part of my life for so long and the decision to retire is not an easy one but I believe it is the right time. I’m thankful to everyone who has supported me throughout my career and I look forward to playing my final games with the New York Cosmos over the coming weeks.”
During his 16 years as a Real player, Raul won six La Liga titles, three Champions League trophies and six Spanish Supercopas.
