Ze Roberto announces retirement at 43

By AP
Published

SAO PAULO (AP) Veteran midfielder Ze Roberto has announced his retirement at age 43.

The Brazilian's last official game will be on Monday in Sao Paulo when his current club Palmeiras plays against Botafogo in the penultimate round of the Brazilian championship.

Ze Roberto won two Copa Americas with Brazil and played in the 1998 and 2006 World Cups.

He played at Bayer Leverkusen from 1998 to 2002 before a successful stay at Bayern Munich from 2002 to 2009.

Earlier, he was part of the Real Madrid squad which went on to win the Champions League title in 1998.

Ze Roberto joined Palmeiras in 2015 and lifted a Brazilian Cup and a Brazilian championship with the club.