Vinotinto hero Juan Arango announced that after 16 years and 129 games, he will retire from international fútbol. He told the Venezuelan faithful of his difficult decision following his side’s 1-1 tie against Panama: “I have decided not to continue playing with the national team. It saddens me, but I think the cycle of Juan Arango has finished.”
Arango retires with 25 goals to his name, including 12 in eliminatorias mundialistas, two in Copa América action, nine in official friendlies, and two more in unofficial encounters. His first strike was against Colombia on April 24, 2001. El Universal made us all a bit more nostalgic with this list of some of his most memorable moments.
The current Xolos de Tijuana man is one of the only Venezuelans in history to ever compete for a first division team in a major European league. He has played in Venezuela, Mexico, Germany, and Spain, and he spent the majority of his club career with Mallorca (196 official matches).
Fans have been paying homage to the legend with heartfelt messages via social media. It’s safe to say that his contributions will certainly never be forgotten.
Watch all of Arango’s goals with La Vinotinto here: