Chelsea legend Cesar Azpilicueta has announced he will be hanging up his boots at the end of this season, with plenty of the current squad quick to give their reactions.
Azpilicueta was at Chelsea between 2012 and 2023, racking up more than 500 appearances across the defence for the Blues.
He would captain the side on numerous occasions, lifting the Champions League trophy in 2021 after an excellent individual performance against Manchester City.
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Reece James and Frank Lampard react to Cesar Azpilicueta retirement
Since leaving Stamford Bridge, he has played for Atletico Madrid and now Sevilla, where he is set to retire after one season with them.
Azpilicueta took to Instagram to announce his retirement, as he prepares for punditry work at the upcoming World Cup.
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A host of current and former Chelsea players responded in the comments. Current captain Reece James left a blue heart emoji, whilst Marc Cucurella, Olivier Giroud and Antonio Rudiger were amongst those who wished him well.
Frank Lampard, who was a teammate and manager of Azpilicueta, also left a nice comment, saying:
“Congratulations on an incredible career mate and all the best for whatever is coming next.”
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It took a while for the Spaniard to make his mark at Stamford Bridge, although he ended up making himself the first name on the teamsheet for a number of different managers.
John Obi Mikel said Azpilicueta was terrible when he first joined the club, struggling to get into the side on a regular basis.
Gary Cahill would end up describing Azpilicueta as the most underrated player in club history, with the two featuring together in two different Premier League title-winning campaigns.
He is the best case study for players not giving up if they endure a tough start to life in West London, something a number of current first team stars can take into the Xabi Alonso era.
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