Sports · Football · 10 hrs ago
Samu Castillejo retires from professional football at 31
Samu Castillejo has retired from professional football at 31 after announcing his decision in a video on Instagram.
The Spanish winger said football had been his passion and way of life since childhood, and thanked the teammates, coaches, clubs, fans and family who supported him.
He was without a club after his latest spell in Malaysia with Johor Darul Ta’zim.
Castillejo played for AC Milan from 2018 to 2022 and later joined Sassuolo in Italy.
He won the 2021/22 Italian league title with Milan, after making 113 appearances and scoring 10 goals for the club.
His career also included spells in Spain, and he made 330 appearances as a professional, according to one account.
His retirement ends a career that spanned several countries, and no next steps were announced.
Samu Castillejo announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 31.
The Spanish winger shared the news in a video posted on Instagram on 24 October 2026.
He was without a club after his latest spell with Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim.
Castillejo made 330 professional appearances, including 113 for Milan, where he won the 2021/22 Serie A title.
He also played for Sassuolo, Valencia, Villarreal and Málaga.
- Who
- Samu Castillejo, a 31-year-old Spanish footballer.
- What
- He announced his retirement from professional football.
- When
- 24 October 2026.
- Where
- In a video posted on Instagram. He was without a club after playing for Johor Darul Ta’zim in Malaysia.
- Why
- He said it was time to say goodbye after a long career. Further reasons were Not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Castillejo played for Milan, making 113 appearances and scoring 10 goals.
He won the Serie A title with Milan under coach Stefano Pioli.
Valencia announced his signing from Milan.
Sassuolo announced his loan signing from Valencia, with an option to buy.
Castillejo joined Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim as a free agent.
He announced his retirement in a video posted on Instagram.
- Age at retirement
- 31
- Professional appearances
- 330
- Milan appearances
- 113
- Milan goals
- 10
- Milan title
- 2021/22 Serie A
- Last club
- Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
3 sources
What people are saying
Dear football, after a long journey, the time has come to say goodbye.
For my whole life, football has been much more than a profession.