Royston Drenthe has revealed that he retired from football at the age of 29 because he 'was not happy'.
Drenthe started his professional career with Feyenoord in 2005, before spending five years at Real Madrid between 2007 and 2012.
The former Netherlands international also represented the likes of Everton, Reading and Sheffield Wednesday, before retiring from football in 2016 following a short spell at Abu Dhabi side Baniyas Club.
Drenthe has admitted that he simply fell out of love with football during the latter stages of his career.
"I left football as a 29-year-old as I wasn't happy. I have quit football and in 30 years I have lived through more than most people would live in 200," Drenthe told Marca.
"I wasn't happy when I retired, I had a lot of feelings...tiredness, depressed, hopelessness – the career was not fulfilling me and I decided to quit. There were problems with agents, I don't like to give names but in football there are lots of people who are dishonest.
"Many people took advantage of me and misled me, for the final few years of my career I decided not to have an agent. I love football, the game has been my entire life but many people involved in the sport make it not good and I now only play to enjoy myself."
Drenthe won his one and only Netherlands cap in 2010.
Matt Law
