Filipe Luis calls time on 20-year career

RIO DE JANERIO: Flamengo defender Filipe Luis has announced his retirement from football after a professional career spanning two decades.

The 38-year-old said Flamengo's last match of the Brazilian Serie A season - against Sao Paulo away on December 6 - will mark his farewell appearance, reports Xinhua.

"I just have one word to describe how I feel: gratitude," Filipe said in a social media post on Thursday.

"Gratitude toward the [Flamengo staff] that bet on me... to every fan who supported me... to those who criticized me, to all the people who were part of this. Thank you very much. They were the best years of my life."

Filipe started his career at Figueirense before earning a move to Dutch giants Ajax in 2004. He later had spells at Deportivo La Coruna, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea before joining Flamengo in 2019.

The left-back helped the Rio de Janeiro club to two Copa Libertadores trophies, two Brazilian Serie A titles and one Copa do Brasil triumph.

He was also capped 44 times for Brazil and was a part of the South American team's 2018 FIFA World Cup squad.

Filipe's last game at Flamengo's Maracana stadium will be against Cuiaba on Sunday.