Aguero announces retirement from football at 33 due to heart condition diagnosis
Sergio Aguero has announced his retirement from football at the age of 33 due to a heart condition.
The former Manchester City and Atletico Madrid player, who moved to Barcelona on a free transfer in the summer, had to be substituted during his team’s 1-1 draw with Alaves in October after receiving medical assistance on the pitch to treat chest pains and dizziness.
The Argentina striker was taken to hospital for cardiac tests, after which he was ruled out for three months.
However, Aguero did not make his return to the field and has now chosen to end his career.
In November, Aguero responded to rumours about his retirement and tweeted that he was feeling “positive” and making “progress” with his health.
After his first game in charge of the club against Espanyol in November, Barcelona boss Xavi said the forward’s situation was uncertain, but that the club would “follow the evolution of what he had” and hoped he would be able to “keep playing football”.
Aguero agreed to join Barcelona in May, signing a two-year deal with a buyout clause of €100m (£86m) after leaving City.
However, he was ineligible to play for the club until the end of August after financial fair play rules in Spain prevented the La Liga side from registering new signings.
The forward then suffered a calf injury which ruled him out until October, after which he was able to make his debut for the club as a substitute in a 3-1 win against Valencia.
He scored his first goal for Barcelona against Real Madrid on his El Clasico debut on 24 October.
Aguero began his career at Argentine club Independiente, scoring 18 goals between 2003-2006 before transferring to Atletico Madrid.
He enjoyed a fruitful period at the Spanish side, scoring 100 times in 230 appearances in all competitions and won the Europa League with the club in 2010 in addition to the UEFA Super Cup.
City signed Aguero from Atletico in 2011 and he became entrenched in the club’s history when he scored a dramatic late winner against QPR in the final game of the 2011/12 season to secure the team’s first Premier League title.
Aguero remained at Manchester City for 10 seasons, and broke Eric Brook’s record to become the club’s all-time top goalscorer in 2017.
He scored 260 goals for the club in 390 appearances and won a host of honours, including five Premier League titles, six League Cup trophies and an FA Cup, among others.
