Real Madrid are looking towards a bright future. They already had some excellent young names coming through the ranks, including Arda Guler, Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior. Throwing new signings Kylian Mbappe and Endrick into the mix will only solidify the future of the club.

However, Real Madrid fans are hard-pressed to forget about their incredible club legends. As the biggest club in the world, Real Madrid prides itself on its long-standing legacy, a legacy which was built on by a plethora of club legends.

Another Real Madrid legend sadly retires aged 41-years-old

Alongside Toni Kroos, another Real Madrid legend has announced his retirement from football. Pepe, who spent an incredible 10 years with Real Madrid, has stepped down from football. Aged at 41 years old, he is a testament to longevity and staying in tip-top condition as one of the best athletes in the world. It would have been a hard-pressed decision, considering how much he loves defending.

In an emotional farewell video, Pepe announced that he will step down from the sport. He will now be able to finally relax and look back at an impressive medal cabinet. In his illustrious career, Pepe won four Primeira Ligas, three La Ligas, three Champions Leagues and the Euros.

Pepe will always be remembered as one of the finest “no-nonsense” defenders. He was the type of defender who was a nightmare to play against and was hated by everyone except the team he played for. In many ways, this is the finest sign of a defender doing their job.

In the video which Pepe released, he thanked everybody who made him the player, and indeed the man, he is today. Pepe thanked God, all the club presidents who believed in him, his family, teammates, coaches and the fans. He described the fans as “the soul of football.” (via the Daily Mail)

Real Madrid fans will always remember Pepe as one of their best defenders in history. We wish him nothing but the best in the retirement. However, given the nature of his personality and hard work, it’s difficult to imagine he will stop playing a role in football. We fully anticipate to return to the game in some capacity. But for now, he deserves to rest.