One former Liverpool player has confirmed his retirement in a bombshell announcement on Sunday afternoon.
As revealed by Fabrizio Romano via X, Thiago Alcantara has called time on his playing career just a few weeks after his exit from Anfield was announced, and only a week after he officially became a free agent.
The Italian journalist posted: “Thiago Alcantara has decided to retire from professional football. Former Barça, Bayern, Liverpool and Spain player has made his decision. Thiago’s passion and love for the game continues as he’s ready for new chapter in football after few months planning for it.”
EXCLUSIVE: Thiago Alcantara has decided to retire from professional football.
Former Barça, Bayern, Liverpool and Spain player has made his decision.
Thiago’s passion and love for the game continues as he’s ready for new chapter in football after few months planning for it. pic.twitter.com/zR4Uvum1rH
Having only turned 33 in April, it seems quite early for Thiago to hang up his boots, but unfortunately the injury problems which dogged him throughout his time at Liverpool appear to have caught up with him.
It’s a crying shame that the final season of a glittering playing career saw him restricted to a solitary five-minute cameo off the bench towards the end of our 3-1 defeat at Arsenal in February.
It was quite the coup to land him from Bayern Munich in 2020 just a month after he won the Champions League, and he illuminated Anfield with moments of magic during his first two years with the Reds in particular.
That incredible half-volley against Porto in November 2021 is the moment which’ll define his time with LFC, a moment of jaw-dropping brilliance that very few footballers are capable of pulling off.
From Romano’s tweet, it seems quite likely that Thiago will now go into coaching, having played under illustrious managers such as Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and – of course – Jurgen Klopp.
If the 33-year-old goes on to be even half as good a coach as he was a player, he’ll be an excellent man to have in the dugout. It’s just a massive shame that a career as outstanding as his has come to such an abrupt, anticlimactic end.
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