FORMER Chelsea defender Alex has retired from football after suffering a knee injury.
The bulldozing centre-half requires surgery if he wants to prolong his playing career after the setback and has instead opted to hang up his boots.
Speaking to Globoesporte, the 34-year-old Brazilian said: “I’m retiring, I made the decision with my family.
“I would need to have surgery and then it would take nine months to come back.
“I just couldn’t put up with that pain.”
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Alex, who also played for AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, has been without a club since leaving the Italian side last summer.
He joined Chelsea from Santos back in 2004 but spent the next three years on loan at Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, winning the Eredivisie title each season he was there.
After his impressive spell in Holland he finally switched to Stamford Bridge on 2007 and became a key man in the Blues’ squad.
Alex helped them to win the Premier League, two FA Cups and also to reach the 2008 Champions League final, where they were defeated on penalties by Manchester United.
PSG forked out £4.2million in 2012 to bring the star to the French capital, where he added to his medal haul by winning the Ligue 1 title before departing for the San Siro two years later.
He won 17 caps for the Samba Boys and lifted the 2007 Copa America.
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