Epress.am News from Armenia
Brazil legend Ronaldo, whose goals helped his country win two World Cups, has hauled his aching limbs onto the pitch for the last time and will announce his retirement on Monday, Brazilian media said, AFP reports.
“I can’t take any more,” the 34-year-old star told the Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper ahead of a formal announcement expected at a news conference Monday.
“I wanted to continue, but I can’t do it any more. I think of an action, but I can’t do it the way I want to. It’s time.”
“It’s the body that’s hurting me,” he told Globo television. “The head wants to go on, but the body can’t take any more.”
Ronaldo had already spoken in terms of retiring at the end of the year.
But a succession of injuries and the elimination of his club, Corinthians, from the Copa Libertadores, South America’s most prestigious club tournament, appears to have pushed the date forward.
The Copa trophy, the equivalent of Europe’s Champions League trophy, was the only one Ronaldo had not won in what has been a spectacular career.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, ‘El Fenomeno’ had held out hopes of one last World Cup in South Africa last year.
In the end though, he had to accept that his injuries and lack of match fitness had ruled him out.