Argentina legend Juan Roman Riquelme has brought down curtain on a glittering 18-year career.
The 36-year-old, who starred for Boca Juniors, Villareal and Barcelona, decided to hang up his boots with Argentinos Juniors.
Riquelme was linked with a move to America and Paraguay of recent, with Paraguayan club Cerro Porteño reportedly keen on signing him, but the Argentine quelled such talk
“I have decided to no longer play football,” he said. “Now I am just a fan. I will go and suffer in the stadium. I am very pleased with the career I had.
“I enjoyed football to the maximum. I hope the people have enjoyed it alongside me. I tried to have a good time. I tried to give everything I could to fans of Boca, Argentina, Villarreal and Barcelona, in the youth teams and the full team.
“I am someone who makes decisions calmly, who thinks a lot. It’s clear now that I’ll be on holiday, I’ll have fun, enjoy time with my children. From now on my football life ends and a new life starts. Let’s see what it holds.”
The playmaker, blessed with dribbling skills and long-ranged shooting ability, is most known for his spells with Villareal and Boca Juniors.
He made his professional debut with Boca Juniors as a 18-year-old. After making more than 15 appearances with the Buenos Aires club, Riquelme moved to Spain, initially with Barcelona. His three seasons at the Camp Nou were worth forgetting, as El Torero accounting for only 30 appearances before being shipped out to Villareal. During his time with The Yellow Submarine, Riquelme made 119 appearances, scoring 42 goals.
With Boca Juniors, the Argentine won the Argentine Primera División on five occasions, also winning 3 Copa Libertadores in two distinguished spells.
Riquelme made his Argentina debut in 1997, and has represented the Albiceleste 51 times, netting 17 goals. He successfully captained his nation to Olympics Gold in 2008.
Individually, Riquelme has been named Argentine Footballer of the Year on four occasions, also having his name in Copa Libertadores’ Historical Team of all time.
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