Al Ahli captain Fabio Cannavaro retires

Dubai: After weeks of speculation, Al Ahli captain Fabio Cannavaro announced his retirement from football on Saturday.

The former World Player of the Year, who on Saturday completed five years since captaining Italy to World Cup glory in Germany, admitted that a recurring knee injury was the reason behind his exit after nearly two decades from football.

Cannavaro, who turns 38 in September, said: “It’s a sad day since football has been very much part of my life for the last 20 years, but then there is nothing I could do. I have decided to stop playing after a medical examination in Italy last week. Doctors have told me clearly that I can no longer play.”