OFFICIAL: Lucas Vazquez ends Real Madrid spell

It was an open secret and on Wednesday 16th July it was finally confirmed. Lucas Vazquez puts an end to his career as a Real Madrid player after a decade in the white shirt.

Neither Real Madrid nor the player had confirmed either the end or the renewal of a contract that ended on 30th June, but which was extended for a few days due to the Club World Cup. Now that the tournament is over, the Galician player says goodbye to the club of his life.

Trained in La Coruna and later in the youth ranks of the Madrid team, Lucas Vazquez has been a 'One Club Men' except for one season, when he was on loan at Espanyol.

From there, he has spent ten consecutive years in the Real Madrid first team, first as a winger and in recent years as a right-back, replacing Carvajal when needed and as a starter after Carvajal's injury.

After 402 appearances, Lucas Vazquez says goodbye after scoring 38 goals and providing 60 assists. He leaves as one of the great legends of the last decade and with five Champions League titles in his pocket.

On Thursday, Real Madrid organised an "institutional act of homage and farewell" to Lucas Vazquez in the presence of Florentino Perez, who said of the Galician player that "he represents in an exemplary way the values of Real Madrid, which has made him one of the most beloved players by our fans".

"The figure of Lucas Vazquez symbolises the hard work, perseverance, humility and winning spirit that are essential for success in this shirt. He is a player who has the affection and recognition of all Madrid fans. Real Madrid is and always will be his home", concluded the president of the club.