Sergio Aguero has announced He will retirement from football at the age of 33 due to a heart condition.
Barcelona striker Sergio Aguero has announced He will retirement from football at the age of 33 due to a heart condition.
Aguero has not played since the end of October, when he was taken off during the first half of Barcelona draw against Alaves after experiencing chest pain.
Barcelona also announced that the discomfort had been caused by an arrhythmia a broad term to describe any heart rhythm that is not completely normal that would require treatment over a three-month period.
The former Manchester City forward has since had regular cardiac exams to monitor his health, with the results advising him it would be a risk to carry on with his professional career.
He announced his retirement at a news conference on Wednesday, joined by Barca president Joan Laporta.
An emotional Aguero said: “This conference is to announce I have decided to stop playing professional football. It is a very difficult moment. The decision I have taken for my health; the problem I had a month and a half ago.
“I have been in good hands with the medical staff. I made the decision 10 days ago after doing everything possible to have some hope of playing on. I am very proud for my career. I always dreamed of a professional career since the first time I touched a ball at 5.
“I want to thank Atletico Madrid, who took a chance on me when I was 18, and Manchester City — everyone knows who I feel about City and how well they treated me there.”
Said Aguero: “I feel OK right now. Obviously the first two weeks were really difficult. When they did the first physical test on me, the medical staff told me there was a very big possibility I would not be able to continue playing.
“I am still processing everything. Then they called me to tell me it was definitive. Right now, I am OK, but I know it was difficult.”
Aguero has also won 101 caps for Argentina, scoring 41 goals, and was part of the squad that won the Copa America last summer and was a runner-up at the World Cup in 2014.
When asked to recall his favourite goals, Aguero replied: “The goal for Independiente against Racing when I was 17 was one of the best that I ever scored. Winning the Europa League with Atletico was a really happy moment, and then obviously with City the goal I scored to win the first Premier League, for me and City, was a beautiful moment.
“There are a lot, and the last was the Copa America. I only played two or three matches, but it was something that we had been looking for for years and years.
“And of course, I will take my last goal against Madrid. It is not bad for a last goal, is it?”
