Former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise retires from football

A fter spending three Serie A seasons with Roma , John Arne Riise has hung up his boots as he has confessed he can’t enjoy playing football anymore.

The Norwegian left fond memories in the Italian capital, where he enjoyed a successful stint from 2008 to 2011 and got close to winning the Scudetto twice, as the Giallorossi lost out on both occasions to Inter .

The left-back then returned to his youth club Aalesunds in March 2016, concluding his career just three months later, as he realised he wasn’t motivated enough to keep up with game.

“This is the most important decision in my career and I’ve decided to retire” the 35-year-old told reporters in a press conference. “Recently, I’ve realised that the enthusiasm and the motivation you need to continue in this job are not strong enough.

“When I looked myself at the mirror, I understood I had to retire.”

Riise collected 99 Serie A appearances at the Stadio Olimpico, scoring a total of 7 goals.

Among his biggest achievements, was the 2005 Champions League victory with Liverpool, when the Reds came back against AC Milan to win on penalties.