Joan Luque opened up on his decision to retire from football on a visit to former club Maidstone.

Luque’s shock announcement, aged just 32, came only weeks after a summer move to Folkestone Invicta and saw him return to Spain following a decade in England.

He’s started a new career but made a flying visit to the UK last weekend, which included a trip to the Gallagher Stadium to see the Stones’ 1-0 win over Hornchurch.

“I was at Folkestone for maybe three weeks but I just wasn’t enjoying it any more,” said Luque, who fired Maidstone to the National League South title in 2022.

“It’s a bit pointless if you aren’t enjoying it, being away from home, so I decided to go back and enjoy some holiday before starting my new job and spend some time with my parents and people I love.”

While Folkestone didn’t work out, it was still difficult to call time on a career that started in Barcelona’s academy and eventually brought him to England.

After spells with the likes of Heybridge, Lincoln, Concord and Dagenham, he enjoyed the season of his life at Maidstone before suffering a serious knee injury.

It kept him out for over a year but he got back playing at Worthing before cutting short his stay at Folkestone.

“I had a couple of months where I tried not to think about it because the more you think about football, the more you miss it,” said Luque.

“I still play seven-a-side, just to have some fun with friends and give me that little escape, but I’ve got my new job which I really enjoy, so I don’t miss the 11-a-side so much.

“There comes a point when you have to make a decision. It came earlier than I expected, to be fair.

“Probably the injury affected that but it wasn’t that my knee wasn’t ready or anything, it was more just a change of mindset where I wasn’t enjoying it as much and it’s not worth being away from home.

“Being away from home is hard, and I’ve done it for 10 years.

“If you’re not enjoying it like you should then it gets to a point where it’s not worth it and that’s a sign to go back.

“It’s a bit different but you’re with people you love, your family is always there.

“It doesn’t matter how many years you are away, they will always be there and I’m lucky to have the family I have and they were so happy for me to be back.

“They were doing parties to welcome me, and I really appreciated that, even though I wasn’t in the best of moods at the beginning.

“It was tough because it was a big change where you’re saying no to a way of life.

“For the last 10 years football was my main engine and to say stop it, let’s go somewhere else, was a bit hard.”

Luque felt the love of Maidstone fans on his return to the Gallagher Stadium.

He remains hugely popular after his starring role in Hakan Hayrettin’s title-winning side, scoring more than 20 goals from the left wing and being named National League South player of the year.

He was only back for the weekend - describing England as “bloody freezing” - but didn’t want to miss out on watching the Stones.

“Every time I come back I pop up here at the Gallagher because I love it and it’s good to see old faces, and I’m still loved as well,” said Luque.

“That’s what you take when you go away.

“I live now in a different country but if I come back and people still love you and show their appreciation, that’s what you take from playing.

“They don’t do it for how good or bad you were at football, it’s more who you are as a person.”

Maidstone, who drew 1-1 at Torquay on Tuesday night, visit Isthmian Premier Horsham in the FA Trophy second round this Saturday (3pm).

Charlie Seaman gave United a half-time lead at Plainmoor with a terrific 25-yard free-kick but Jay Foulston levelled in the 87th minute.

The point extended their unbeaten run in National League South to eight games and moved them up three places to 13th.