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Former Manchester United, Manchester City and Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has announced his retirement from football following the loss of his father.
Tevez's father and "number one fan”, Segundo Raimundo, contracted COVID-19 last year and later passed away in February 2021 due to complications.
Tevez, now 38, has had offers to continue his playing career after leaving Boca Juniors a year ago following a third stint with the Buenos Aires giants.
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But having been left heartbroken without his father watching him, the Argentine legend can no longer find the energy to keep playing and has decided to hang up his boots.
"I've retired, it's confirmed," Tevez said in emotional TV interview with talk show Animales Sueltos.
"I had offers from many places, but as a player I had already given everything I had.
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"My last year playing [at Boca] was very hard because he [Tevez's father] was brain dead. I woke up one day and told Vane [wife Vanessa]: 'I don't want to play anymore'.
"I called Adrian [agent Adrian Ruocco] in the afternoon and told him: 'Look, I'm not going to play anymore. I'm retiring'.
"They asked me all the time why I had stopped playing until I told them: 'I stopped playing because I lost my number 1 fan'. I was eight years old and he was the one who came to watch me.
"Why else have I decided to retire? I told them: 'I don't play for anyone anymore'. I think that was the only time I really thought about myself. I had lost my number one fan and that made me not want to play anymore."
Both Tevez and the interviewer got teary-eyed in the chat as Tevez confirmed his career is over.
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Tevez started out and finished a 20-year playing stint with Boca, his boyhood club, scoring 94 goals overall.
But he was a revelation in English football, first saving West Ham from relegation in the 2006/07 campaign after a controversial move.
He then won back-to-back Premier League titles and one Champions League in two seasons with Manchester United, before making a shock move across to rivals City and winning the FA Cup and Premier League.
In total, Tevez scored 84 goals in 202 Premier League appearances and went on to thrive in Italy with Juventus, where he hit 50 goals in 95 games.
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Tevez, who had a very brief but lucrative stint with Shanghai Shenhua, is now set to embark on a career in coaching.
“I made the decision that I’m going to be a manager,” Tevez added, as per Xinhua News Agency.
“I’m ready to do it now. I’m learning how to communicate. It’s something I have to prepare for. I’m not going to accept a job with any old club and just tell the players they have to win or we’re all in trouble. I have to give the players the necessary tools to win.”
Featured Image Credit: Image: Animales SueltosTopics: Argentina, Carlos Tevez, Manchester City, Manchester United, Premier League
