Netherlands midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has announced his retirement from football after a series of injuries foiled his hopes of a farewell season in Denmark.

The 35-year-old, who won 109 international caps, has played just six times for his new club, Esberg, since joining them at the start of the season. He told De Telegraaf: ‘I’m here to play football, not to recover. Otherwise there’s no enjoyment and that’s why I do it.’

Van der Vaart moved to Denmark two years ago to sign for FC Midtjylland in order to be nearer his girlfriend, international handball player Estavana Polman.

He officially announced his retirement as an international player last month, though he last pulled on an orange jersey in November 2013. At the height of his career Van der Vaart was a fixture in the Dutch midfield alongside Wesley Sneijder and Mark van Bommel, playing in two World Cups and three European Championships.

He was selected for the 2014 World Cup squad, but was forced to pull out a month before the tournament with a calf injury.

Van der Vaart’s club career began with Ajax, where he made his debut as a 17-year-old prodigy in 2000, before moving to Hamburg, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur.V