MADRID (AP) — Veteran defender Dani Carvajal will not return to Real Madrid next season, the club announced Monday.
Madrid announced in a statement that the club and the player had “reached an agreement to bring an end to a great chapter in his career as a player for our club at the end of this season”.
Carvajal’s contract ends in June. The 34-year-old right-back joined Madrid in 2002 and played 23 seasons for the Spanish powerhouse, 10 of them in the academy and 13 with the main team.
“Dani Carvajal is a legend and a symbol of Real Madrid and its academy,” said club president Florentino Perez. “Alongside our fond memory of Alfredo Di Stéfano, who laid the first stone at Real Madrid Ciudad, his image will remain forever in the hearts of all Real Madrid players and in the history of our club. Carvajal has always embodied the values of Real Madrid. This is and always will be his home.”
According to the club, Carvajal played 450 games for Madrid, scoring 14 goals and helping them win 27 titles, including six Champions Leagues.
“Real Madrid would like to express its gratitude and love to one of the great legends of our club and world football,” the club said. “Carvajal is one of only five players in the history of football to have won the European Cup six times and was part of a team that experienced one of the most glorious eras in our history.”
Madrid have announced that they will honor Carvajal in this weekend’s final Spanish league game.
Carvajal has just returned from a right foot injury. This season, with the arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold, he lost his place in Madrid’s starting lineup.
Carvajal, once a set starter for the Spanish national team, has missed most of the national team’s games over the past two seasons due to injury, with Pedro Polo and Marcos Llorente filling his place. Carvajal is unlikely to be selected by Spain national team coach Luis de la Fuente. world cup.
Spain will make his debut on June 15th against Cape Verde in Atlanta.
Carvajal made 51 appearances for Spain, helping them win the European Championship in 2024 and the Nations League in 2023.
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