Argentine defender announces retirement from football

Walter Samuel has announced he will retire from professional football at the end of the season.

Samuel, 37, has played at a senior level for almost two decades and represented the likes of Inter Milan, Real Madrid, AS Roma and Boca Juniors.

He spent the longest period of his career at Inter - from 2005 to 2014 - winning five Serie A titles and a Champions League, among other honours.

The former Argentina international is playing for FC Basel in Switzerland, but admitted this season will be his last.

"There comes a time where you have to listen to your body," Samuel told Swiss newspaper Neue Zurcher Zeitung.

"It's not an easy decision for me. I need more time to recover than before.

"The younger players are fine a day after a game but it takes me two to three days to recover. It will never be the same again."

Samuel has made over 500 appearances for club and country, winning a league title at every club he has played for except Madrid.