Xabi Alonso retires: Midfielder has announced his retirement from international football after World Cup

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso has announced he will retire from football at the end of the World Cup.

Alonso, 32, has been an integral part of Spain's success in recent years, winning Euro 2008 and Euro 2012 as well as the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Alonso won his 112th cap for Spain in the 2-0 defeat to Chile, a result that made La Roja the first team to be eliminated from the tournament.

He was hauled off at half-time in that game after a poor first half, which included him losing the ball in the build up to Chile's opener.

The former Liverpool man has scored Spain's only goal of the tournament so far, from the penalty spot in the 5-1 humiliation at the hands of the Netherlands.

Uncertainty also surrounds the futures of fellow midfielder Xavi and goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who have both had terrible tournaments.

However, one man who will not be moving on is the coach Vicente del Bosque, who has been backed by the Spanish football federation despite the poor performance of his team.

Spanish newspaper Marca reports that Alonso made the decision before the start of the tournament in Brazil.