Sergio Aguero has decided to call time on his illustrious football career due to a heart condition. On Wednesday, the 33-year-old made the formal announcement, signaling the end of a career that featured five Premier League titles with Manchester City and a Copa America crown with Argentina's men's national football team.
Arrhythmia forces Aguero to retire
Aguero had not played for FC Barcelona since the end of October when he experienced chest pain during the first half of their match against Alaves. The Catalan giants later announced that an arrhythmia caused Aguero's discomfort. With his heart rhythm not completely normal, Barcelona said that Aguero would need to undergo treatment for three months.
After that scary episode, Aguero has had regular cardiac exams to monitor his heart. Unfortunately for the soccer superstar, the results were not encouraging, with medical professionals advising Aguero that it would be a major risk to continue his football career.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta joined an emotional Aguero on Wednesday's news conference as he officially bade farewell to his colleagues and supporters.
"This conference is to announce I have decided to stop playing professional football. It is a very difficult moment." Aguero added that he was in good hands with the medical staff and decided to retire ten days ago after exhausting all possibilities to extend his playing career. Aguero said he is very proud of the career he first started dreaming of when he was five years old.
He thanked Atletico Madrid for taking a chance on him when he was just 18 years old and Manchester City, the club where he became a legend. Aguero won 15 trophies in England with Manchester City, leading the club to five Premier League titles, six League Cup wins, and one FA Cup crown.
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Aguero leaves the game as a Manchester City legend
Manchester City fans will forever remember Aguero for his dramatic last-minute goal against Queens Park Rangers on the 2011-12 season's final day that gave the club its first-ever Premier League championship. He spent ten seasons with the club before departing for Barcelona this past offseason. Aguero is Manchester City's top goalscorer, bagging a record 260 goals in 390 appearances.
Aguero also made his mark on the international scene, winning 101 senior caps for Argentina. He scored 41 goals during his stint with the national team and was part of the side that finally won the Copa America title last summer. Aguero also came close to winning the World Cup back in 2014, with the South American nation finishing runner-up to Germany.
Lionel Messi paid tribute to his longtime Argentina teammate, saying that he will miss their times together on the pitch and that he wishes Aguero the best in this new stage.
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