Former Chelsea captain César Azpilicueta says he needs time away from football after bringing his 20-year professional career to an end, as he considers what life beyond the pitch might look like.
The Spaniard, who retired at the end of the 2025-26 season following his final campaign with Sevilla, has spent much of his playing career pursuing education alongside football. Now, with his playing days over, he is giving himself the opportunity to focus on his family and interests outside the sport.
Speaking to BBC Sport after receiving a postgraduate diploma in Global Football Sport Directorship through the PFA Business School, Azpilicueta admitted that he no longer has the energy required to commit himself fully to another season.
Although he believes he could still play at some level, the former defender explained that the time had come to move on. After years of travelling, competing and preparing for matches, he is looking forward to a different routine, including spending more time with his family and playing golf.
His interest in education was evident even during the biggest moments of his football career.
Ahead of Chelsea's 2021 Champions League final against Manchester City, Azpilicueta was unable to take his usual pre-match nap. Rather than dwell on the pressure surrounding the occasion, he turned to his studies, working towards an MBA in business management at the Berlin School of Business and Innovation.
Later that day, he captained Chelsea to a 1-0 victory in Porto, lifting the Champions League trophy as the club secured one of the biggest honours of his career.
Azpilicueta told BBC Sport that his parents had always encouraged him to perform well academically and complete his education. He was still finishing school when he began his professional career at 17, and learning remained important to him long after football became his full-time occupation.
The Covid-19 pandemic gave him an opportunity to explore courses, although he initially hesitated because he worried that studying might suggest his playing career was nearing its end.
He eventually embraced the challenge for a different reason: a desire to keep learning, improve himself and study in another language. He believes that experience helped him manage the later stages of his career while developing both personally and professionally.
His latest qualification adds to previous studies at Harvard Business School and reflects an interest in the management and strategic decisions that shape football clubs.
Asked whether he could eventually become a sporting director, Azpilicueta did not rule out the possibility, responding with a cautious “maybe”. For now, however, he is not rushing into another demanding role.
His retirement marks the end of an accomplished playing career that included spells with Osasuna, Marseille, Chelsea, Atlético Madrid and Sevilla, as well as 44 appearances for Spain.
Chelsea proved the defining chapter. After joining the London club in 2012, Azpilicueta spent 11 years at Stamford Bridge, making 508 appearances and winning two Premier League titles, two Europa League trophies and the Champions League, among other honours.
His versatility, consistency and leadership made him a key figure across several managerial eras, culminating in his role as captain during Chelsea's European triumph in 2021.
Now entering a new stage of life, Azpilicueta says he wants to enjoy the freedom that comes with no longer having to organise every day around training sessions, fixtures and pre-season preparations.
After two decades in professional football, his immediate priority is not finding another job in the game but allowing himself the time to decide what comes next.
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