Ex-Real Madrid and Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain has announced that he is retiring as a footballer at the age of 34. The current skipper of Inter Miami has spent the last three seasons playing in the MLS but is now admittedly ready to call it quits.
'El Pipita', as he is affectionately called, has been in top form for his club side, scoring 12 goals in his last 14 games to as his side closes in on the MLS Cup Playoffs. On Monday, the former Argentina international who 14 major trophies to his name, revealed his plans to hang up his boots come he end of the season.
"Three or four months ago I told the club, it wasn't from one day to the next," Higuain said during a press conference.
"I had been working on it for years. When I came here, I came for the pleasure of enjoying football, of my life, of having Fede close, my brother.
"It was another stage in my career, but I can tell you that it was one of the best moments of my career, and this club, my teammates and the coaching staff gave it to me, who gave me back the desire to play football."
He continued: "I can now retire as I always dreamed, scoring goals and having fun playing the game."
Gonzalo Higuain began his career in the River Plate youth academy before moving on to Real Madrid in the 2006–2007 season. After seven seasons and three LaLiga championships, a Copa del Rey, and two Spanish Super Cups, he went to Napoli, where he scored a record 36 goals in 35 games in the 2015–16 Serie A season.
He subsequently joined Juventus before securing respective loan moves to Milan and Chelsea. In 2020, he joined Inter Miami in the MLS and has been there since.
On the international front, Gonzalo Higuain made 75 appearances for Argentina, scoring 31 times between 2009 and 2018. The striker was part of the World Cup squad that lost in the final to Germany in 2014.
