It was a very sad moment, but also a moment of celebration for the career of Sergio Agüero. A moment of celebration due to the fact that he’s here, alive and doing well, and that the worst-case scenario didn’t come to pass. And a sad moment due to how young this athlete is and how much fans and his teammates will miss him.
The Barcelona star announced his retirement from football at age 33 with a press conference at the FC Barcelona stadium. The reason: his health. Agüero has been diagnosed with a heart condition that doctors have advised would make it risky to carry on with his career. He has not played since the end of October when he was substituted during a game after experiencing chest pain.
“This conference is to announce I have decided to stop playing professional football. It is a very difficult moment. The decision I have taken for my health; the problem I had a month and a half ago.” Aguero said as he made the announcement.
One of Aguero’s best friends, current Ballon d’Or holder Lionel Messi, paid tribute to Aguero on Instagram.
“Practically a whole career together, Kun…we lived very beautiful moments and others that were not so, all of them made us unite more and more and be better friends. And we will continue to live together outside the court,” Messi wrote.
Agüero’s former team, Manchester City, also celebrated a player that was instrumental in their success over the last decade.
Former Barcelona manager and current Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was in attendance, as well as the entire Barcelona first-team squad and representatives from Agüero’s former clubs.
Agüero was part of the Argentina squad that won the Copa America last summer.
The internet also had feelings (mainly sad but happy for him) about Sergio Agüero’s retirement: