Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning captain, Fabio Cannavaro, has retired at the age of 37 due to a persistent knee injury.
The centre-back said medical checkups in Italy and then in the United Arab Emirates this month revealed his right knee would not hold up for the second and last year of his contract with Dubai club Al Ahli.
"I'm very sad. Football is everything for me in my life," Cannavaro said. "It's not a simple thing. Everyone says it has to come. But when it comes, it's a decision you have to face. I came back to Dubai to continue training. Unfortunately, the medical examiner didn't permit me to continue."
Cannavaro began his career at Napoli and went on to play for Parma, Internazionale, Juventus – where he had two spells – and Real Madrid. The crowning moment of his career came in Berlin on 9 July 2006 when Italy beat France in a penalty shoot-out, following a 1-1 draw, to win the World Cup final.
He won Fifa's World Player of the Year award later in the same year and is Italy's most-capped player, making 136 appearances from 1997 to 2010.
Cannavaro will stay on at Al Ahli to work as a technical adviser for the club for the next three years, a move which has been welcomed by club president Abdullah al-Naboodah .
"Nineteen years of experience will definitely benefit the club," Naboodah said. "Fabio is a World Cup winner and played at the highest level in Europe. All that on his CV will benefit us at Al Ahli.
"I always said Fabio is one of best assets that club has ever got in terms of professionalism, in terms of attitude, in terms of teaching younger generation. Everything he brought to this club still remains. He has been great for the club."
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