Santi Cazorla Retires From Professional Football At 41

Santi Cazorla confirmed retirement from professional football at 41, closing a long senior career. The former Arsenal and Spain midfielder ends where everything began, with Real Oviedo. The club has already invited Cazorla to stay in a different role. The offer follows Oviedo’s recent relegation from LaLiga after just one season back in the top division.

Cazorla’s final campaign saw Real Oviedo return to Spain’s second tier in 2025-26 after finishing bottom. During that season, Cazorla played 28 league matches and recorded one assist. The setback followed the previous promotion, which Cazorla helped secure two decades after first leaving Oviedo. That initial exit in 2003 came before any senior appearance for the boyhood club.

Real Oviedo highlighted Cazorla’s financial choices on returning, describing a strong commitment to the club structure. The statement said: “Cazorla decided to come back earning the minimum salary allowed by the league and donated all his image rights to the club. In return, he only asked that 10% of the sales of his jersey be entirely dedicated to Real Oviedo’s youth academy, to contribute to the growth of future generations.”

Cazorla detailed personal feelings about ending a long playing journey through a video shared on social media. In the message, Cazorla reflected on closing the career at home with Oviedo. Cazorla said: “Now that everything is ending, when the boots are being hung up, and the noise is turning into silence, everything fits together. Because the ending wasn’t just anywhereI was at home.”

While the farewell happens with Real Oviedo, Cazorla’s longest top-flight spell came at Villarreal. Across three separate periods with the club, Cazorla played 316 matches in all competitions. The midfielder also became a key figure in Arsenal’s midfield after joining in 2012. That move followed successful years in Spain and gave Cazorla a central stage in the Premier League.

Cazorla’s Arsenal years between 2012 and 2018 delivered major silverware and consistent creative numbers. The midfielder made 180 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners. Across those games, Cazorla scored 29 goals and produced 44 assists. Cazorla also contributed heavily during Arsenal’s FA Cup wins in 2014 and 2015, when the club lifted back-to-back trophies.

Key statistics from Cazorla’s club career are shown below, reflecting contributions in Spain and England.

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Real Oviedo now consider how to integrate Cazorla beyond the pitch, after the retirement announcement. The club’s public message underlined Cazorla’s impact on promotion and investment in youth development. Cazorla leaves professional football after a long career that included major honours with Arsenal and long service at Villarreal, while the final professional chapter closed at home with Real Oviedo.