MADRID, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Veteran striker Aritz Aduriz on Friday confirmed he will hang up his boots at the end of the forthcoming season.
The 38-year-old Athletic Club Bilbao player, who will be 39 in February and who made 13 appearances for the Spanish national team, revealed the news in a press conference.
"I will stop playing football when this season ends," said Aduriz, who said he was confirming his retirement now rather than to let speculation over his future to continue all season.
"It is something that I have thought about for a long time and I am privileged to be able to do so at the place I most love. I took the decision with my family and I am proud to be able to retire with Athletic," said the forward, who said he was "at peace" with the decision, "because I know I have given everything until the end."
Aduriz began his career with the Athletic Club youth system, making his first-team debut in 2002, but spent time with lower division clubs, Burgos and Valladolid before returning to Athletic for a second spell in 2005.
He joined Mallorca in 2008 and moved to Valencia in 2010, before returning to Athletic for the second time in 2012.
In total Aduriz has 171 goals in 386 first team appearances for Athletic, with a career total of 284 goals in 759 games as a professional footballer.
