Malaga, Spain – Malaga striker Ruud van Nistelrooy announced his retirement on Monday after helping the club secure a place in the Champions League next season.
The Dutchman is best known for his time with Manchester United, where he scored 150 goals in 219 matches for Sir Alex Ferguson's side before moving on to Real Madrid and winning a pair of league titles.
"Yesterday was my final game as a professional footballer," Van Nistelrooy said at a press conference on Monday. "I wanted to play in the Champions League, but it is the moment to leave. I have arrived at my physical limit and I can't play at the maximum level. I couldn't have had a better send off than this."
The 35-year-old scored 35 goals in 70 appearances for the Netherlands during his international career while featuring for the Dutch at Euro 2004, the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008.
Van Nistelrooy joined Malaga from Hamburg last summer and scored four goals in 28 league matches this season.
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