Barca and Liverpool Reacts As Javier Mascherano Hangs His Boot

Former Liverpool and Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano, 36, announces his retirement from football; the most capped player in Argentina's history, who also made a controversial move to West Ham in 2006, has been playing for Estudiantes in his native country.

West Ham alongside Carlos Tevez in 2006, Mascherano moved on to Anfield, where his initial loan deal was made permanent in January 2008.

The Argentine impressed under manager Rafael Benitez with his trademark, hard-tackling style of play and made 139 appearances in a successful three-year spell for Liverpool.

Mascherano then got his wish to move to the Nou Camp, joining Barcelona for a fee in the region of £25m in 2010.

He made 334 appearances for the Spanish club, winning two Champions League titles and a pair of Club World Cup titles with them, along with five wins each in La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

Barcelona tweeted: "Thanks for the legacy you have left in the world of football, and especially at Barca, @Mascherano. You will always be one of us."

Mascherano made his debut for Argentina as a 19-year-old in July 2003, handed his first opportunity by current Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa, and went on to make 147 appearances and score three goals for his country.